Dumbledore's Apprentice
by PotterBlackRosier
Summary: After the events of fifth year, Dumbledore agrees to train Harry as his apprentice. Meanwhile, Harry comes into his own as the head of multiple families and has to deal with a marriage contract. Good!Dumbledore, Powerful!Harry, Harry/Daphne
1. Chapter 1

**Dumbledore's Apprentice**

 **Chapter 1**

 _"_ _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives..."_

Professor Trelawney's voice faded away as the memory came to a close. Once again, Harry found himself standing in Dumbledore's office before the Headmaster himself. He remained silent as he processed what he had just heard.

"Does that mean, in the end, one of us will have to kill the other?" Harry asked in a quiet voice.

"Yes, I am afraid so," sighed the Headmaster, a look of sadness on his face.

Cold fury welled up inside Harry. He was so angry – angry about Sirius's death, angry about the prophecy, but more than anything, he was angry with Dumbledore.

"You knew," Harry said. It was not a question, but rather, a statement.

"Yes," replied the Headmaster with a sigh, knowing where the conversation was headed.

"You knew all this time and did nothing," Harry spat.

"I wished for you to be normal and happy, free from the burden that this knowledge would bring," Dumbledore said, trying to defend himself.

"I have never been normal or happy. You left me at the Dursleys for 10 hellish years. Because of you, I never had a childhood."

"You knew and did nothing," Harry repeated, his voice growing dangerously low. "You didn't teach me, you didn't train me. You left me defenseless, knowing that one day I would have to face him."

"You are not defenseless, Harry," Dumbledore replied. "Because of your mother's sacrifice, you are protected by a power that Voldemort will never understand: love."

"Love didn't save Sirius," growled Harry, with parts of the words slipping into Parseltongue. He clenched his fists at his sides, channeling his anger.

Dumbledore, noticing his descent into Parseltongue, began to worry. "Harry," he began.

"Enough," yelled Harry. "You knew that I would have to face him one day, yet you did nothing to prepare me. You knew that there was a connection between us, that there was a part of him in me, yet you did nothing."

Dumbledore's face grew deathly white as he jumped to his feet. "What did you just say?" he demanded in a frantic tone.

"You heard me," growled Harry.

"How did you know that there is a part of Voldemort within you?" Dumbledore demanded even more frantically.

Harry glared at the Headmaster, his eyes full of anger. "When he possessed me at the Ministry, I wanted to die. The pain was so intense, I just wanted it to end. But I fought back. But when I tried to push him out of my mind, I found myself fighting two different battles. There was a part of him within me, fighting for control as well. Even when I managed to push Voldemort out of my mind, that piece was still there, fighting."

Dumbledore stood before him, speechless, as astonishment shone on his face. "What did you do after that? Is it still there?"

Harry shook his head. "I kept fighting. I don't know how to explain what I did. It was as if I surrounded that piece of him and… absorbed it."

Dumbledore collapsed into his seat, astonished by Harry's words. He stared into space, processing the information. Suddenly, his eyes flicked to Harry's forehead and he stared at his lightning shaped scar. Dried blood bordered the scar.

"Does your scar still hurt?" Dumbledore demanded. "Can you still sense Voldemort?"

Harry shook his head, confused. "No, I can't feel it at all. Not even a tingle."

"Has that ever happened before?"

Harry paused to think. "No," he finally responded. He looked up and saw tears flowing down the Headmaster's cheeks.

"You wonderful, marvelous boy," Dumbledore finally said after a moment. "You did it."

"Did what?"

Dumbledore paused. "Many years ago, as you lay in the hospital wing after your encounter with Professor Quirrell, I told you that when Voldemort gave you that scar, he also transferred some of his powers to you. That is how you can speak Parseltongue. But I suspect he did more than that. When the killing curse rebounded on him, a part of his soul was blown apart. As Voldemort fled, that piece of his soul latched on to the only other living thing in the room: you. When you came to Hogwarts, my suspicions grew. You could speak Parseltongue. Your scar hurt whenever you were near him. And then my fears were confirmed only a few months ago when you dreamed of Mr. Weasley being attacked. You said that in the dream, you were the snake. It was then that I knew. I searched everywhere for a solution, how to remove the soul piece, because I knew that as long as that part of his soul lived within you, Voldemort could never truly die."

Harry looked at him, alarmed. "Part of his soul lives in me?" he whispered in shock.

"Lived, Harry. Not anymore."

"How?"

"When you fought him tonight, I believe that when you absorbed that piece of his soul, you destroyed it forever. Your mind is your own once again," Dumbledore reassured him.

Suddenly, Harry turned away from the Headmaster, his fists clenched tightly at his side. "That was why you didn't train me. You thought I had to die in order to destroy the soul piece. For Voldemort to die, I had to die as well."

"Harry-" Dumbledore started.

"For neither can live while the other survives," interrupted Harry as he turned, staring murderously at Dumbledore. "You planned for me to die. You wanted me to die."

"No," Dumbledore said sharply. "I have made many mistakes, but I did everything I could to save you, to make sure you could have a happy live. I feared that in the end, you would have to die, but I never wanted that. I searched everywhere to find an answer, a way to save you. You may think I don't care, but I do. More than you could ever imagine, Harry."

Harry continued to stare at him for a long moment before finally relenting. He took a deep breath and unclenched his fists. "But now, I don't have to die."

"I believe so."

"But Voldemort will keep coming after me until one of us is dead."

"Undoubtedly."

Harry paused to think. "You will train me." It was a statement, not a question.

"My boy, I am not sure that is the wisest course of action," Dumbledore countered.

"I am tired of watching people around me die. I wanted to fight back, to protect them. You owe me this," declared Harry heatedly.

Dumbledore sighed a took a deep look at Harry. "I suppose you are right," he said softly. "You have shouldered a burden heavier than any other student to walk these halls. And yet, here you are, ready for even more responsibility." He paused before continuing. "I will agree to your request. I will accept you as my apprentice. But I must warn you, I will demand nothing but excellence from you," he said, peering over his glasses.

Harry nodded in recognition. "I understand, sir. I will work harder than I have ever worked before."

"Very well," said Dumbledore, nodding sharply. The early morning light began to shine through the windows, illuminating the office. "It is very late, or rather, very early. Either way, you need to rest after what you have been through tonight. We will talk more later."

Recognizing his dismissal, Harry turned to leave.

"And Harry?" Dumbledore's question stopped him just shy of the door. "You might consider sharing some of what you have heard with Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley. You don't need to carry these burdens alone."

Harry shook his head in disagreement. "The less they know, the better. I have already put them in enough danger."

With that, he left the office. As Dumbledore watched him leave, he pondered the changes in Harry's behavior and wondered if Harry's absorption of the soul fragment had more consequences than he realized…

* * *

Harry wandered back to Gryffindor Tower as the events of the last 24 hours began to catch up with him. He trudged up the stairs to the boys' dormitory, slipped off his shoes, fell onto his bed, and immediately fell asleep.

He awoke hours later. The sun was beginning to set, and Harry realized that he had slept for over 12 hours. He slipped on his robes and wandered down to the Great Hall, where the closing feast was taking place.

The feast had already begun by the time he arrived. When he walked through the entrance of the Great Hall, every eye turned to look at him. Whispers could immediately be heard throughout the hall. Glancing at one of the tables, Harry spotted a Daily Prophet with the headline "Voldemort Returns!"

 _Well, I guess that explains why everyone is staring at me,_ Harry thought to himself. He continued on to the Gryffindor table, where he sat down by himself. No one said anything to him, as they were all unsure what to say.

Ron, Hermione, and the others were still recovering in the hospital wing. They were all expected to make full recoveries, thankfully. However, Harry still felt guilty. He was the one who led them to the Ministry in the first place. They had been hurt because of him. He couldn't let that happen again. He couldn't involve them in adventures, not again.

Harry ignored the stares and whispers and quietly gulfed down as much food as he could. After not eating for over a day, he was starving.

Finally, the food disappeared, and Dumbledore stood to give the closing speech. He spoke of Voldemort's return, of the need for unity in the coming months. His words only motivated Harry even more. The pain of losing Sirius had lessened to a dull ache, but the anger was as strong as ever.

As the speech ended, the students stood and began to head back to their dormitories. As Harry followed them, he was suddenly stopped by one of the Ravenclaw prefects.

"The Headmaster asked me to tell you to come to his office after the feast," the prefect said.

Nodding, Harry turned and made his way towards the Headmaster's office

As he arrived at the gargoyles, he gave the password. "Licorice," he said, and the gargoyles jumped aside. He walked forward and knocked on the door.

"Come in, Harry," replied Dumbledore. Harry opened the door and walked in. "Take a seat," said Dumbledore. Harry sat down in front of the desk and waited for the headmaster to continue.

"I have called you here to discuss your living arrangements for the summer," Dumbledore explained. Harry nodded, preparing himself for another hellish summer with the Dursleys.

"Unfortunately, it will not be possible for you to return to the Dursleys," Dumbledore said. Harry's eyes widened in shock and confusion. "Instead, you will remain here in the castle, where you will continue your training."

Harry's face split into a grin. It was as if Christmas had come early. "Thank you, sir!" he exclaimed.

"You are welcome, my boy," said Dumbledore. "I made a mistake by leaving you with the Dursleys. I hope that I can make up for it now."

Dumbledore continued speaking. "You will begin training as soon as the rest of the students depart tomorrow morning. There is much to do and little time in which to do it. You promised me last night that you would give everything to this training. I expect nothing less – it will demand every minute of your time, every ounce of energy you possess."

Harry nodded seriously, but inwardly, he was surprised. Dumbledore was taking his training very seriously, something he was very pleased with.

"I have asked several professors to assist in your training. Every day, you will receive instruction from Professor McGonagall in transfiguration, Professor Flitwick in charms, and Professor Snape in potions."

"Snape? What good will learning potions do?" Harry asked, suddenly frustrated.

"I told you, I expect nothing but excellence from you as my apprentice," warned Dumbledore. "Excellence in all areas, including potions. Up to this point, you have shown mediocrity in many of your classes. I will not tolerate mediocrity."

Harry was shocked. This was a whole new side of Dumbledore. Gone was the grandfatherly figure that he was accustomed to. In his place stood Dumbledore, defeater of Grindelwald. He was beginning to understand why Voldemort feared Dumbledore.

"I understand, sir," said Harry respectfully.

"Good. You will also be receiving tutoring in Runes and Arithmancy from Professor Babbling and Professor Vector. It is unfortunate that you chose divination as your elective in your third year, but it is something that we will strive to correct now," said Dumbledore.

Harry gulped. Dumbledore was taking this much more seriously than he had ever imagined.

"Finally, you will also be trained daily by Professor Moody in combat and defense against the dark arts. Each of the professors will be report your progress to me, so I will know if you are giving less than your best. Do you understand?" asked Dumbledore, peering over his spectacles.

Harry nodded in understanding, his mind racing.

"I also expect you to improve your Occlumency skills. I understand that your lessons with Severus did not go as well as I had hoped. However, with your recent absorption of the soul fragment, I suspect that you will be able to learn much more quickly," said Dumbledore as he pulled a book out of his desk and handed it to Harry. He glanced at the title: _The Mind Arts._

"I expect you to study this every morning and evening, before and after your lessons," instructed Dumbledore. "I will also be teaching you occasionally, specifically with regards to Voldemort and the history of magic. Once you have progressed sufficiently in your other subjects, I will also begin teaching you new magic."

Harry could only nod once again. He was overcome by the sheer amount of information that Dumbledore was throwing his way.

"Very good. That is all for tonight. Report back here as soon as the train departs Hogsmeade tomorrow morning," demanded Dumbledore. "We have much to discuss."

"Yes, sir," said Harry, recognizing his dismissal. He stood up and walked out of the office. As he walked, he replayed the meeting he had just left. Dumbledore had shown a whole new side of himself, one that Harry had never seen. Harry, however, was excited to learn from him.

Harry headed towards the hospital wing. He needed to see how Hermione and Ron were doing and explain to them the changes that had occurred in the past 24 hours.

When he entered the hospital wing, Ron and Hermione were sitting in their beds, quietly talking. Luna, Ginny, and Neville had already been released from the hospital wing earlier in the day.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed as she saw Harry walk in. Ron also turned and saw his friend enter the hospital wing.

"Hey guys," Harry murmured as he approached their beds. "How are you feeling?" he asked with a twinge of guilt.

"Much better now," Ron answered. "Madam Pomfrey said we can leave tonight so we can go pack our trunks before we leave tomorrow."

"How are you feeling, Harry?" Hermione asked. Harry looked at her and knew she was not just asking about his physical health. She was referring to Sirius.

"I'm… hanging in there," he replied. He looked at his two friends and suddenly felt a flash of fear surge through him.

 _What was that?_ he thought to himself. As he looked away from them, the feeling subsided. However, when he looked them in the eyes again, the fear returned.

Suddenly, he realized what was happening. _I am feeling their emotions,_ he thought in surprise. _They must be afraid of something. But what?_

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. _They are afraid of me, of what happens when they are around me._

He felt sick to his stomach. His best friends were loyal and would never admit what they were feeling. He knew they would stay by his side if he asked them, but they were afraid. He knew he had made the right choice by deciding to keep them in the dark and to not let them get involved in his adventures. It was the only way to keep them safe.

More thoughts raced through his mind. _How did I feel what they were feeling? Isn't that legilimency? How do I know legilimency all of a sudden?_

Pushing those questions aside for the moment, he turned back to his friends. "Listen," he said, "I have something I need to tell you guys."

"What is it?" Hermione asked, eager to learn new information.

Harry paused for a moment before continuing. "I am not going back to the Dursleys this summer," he explained. "I will be staying here and training as Dumbledore's apprentice."

Ron's and Hermione's jaws hung open. "Are you serious?" Ron asked.

Harry nodded. "I need to know how to fight back," he explained.

"That's great!" Hermione exclaimed, but Harry knew she was anxious as well. "Did Dumbledore tell you anything else? Like what V-Voldemort was after in the Ministry?"

Harry paused, trying to decide what to say. "Apparently, he was after some sort of prophecy, but it was destroyed during the fight. No one knows what it says," he lied.

"Oh," Hermione said simply. Harry hoped she would accept that answer and not keep asking questions. He felt guilty lying to them, but he knew it was the only way to protect them.

* * *

The next morning, he sat in the Gryffindor common room as Ron and Hermione descended from their dorms, lugging their trunks behind them. Hermione walked up to him and gave him a bone-crushing hug.

"Oh, Harry, I'll miss you," she said. "You have to promise to teach me everything you learn this summer. It will be such an amazing opportunity," she exclaimed. Harry could tell that she was slightly jealous, but he wisely chose not to comment.

"I'll see you soon, mate," said Ron, clasping Harry's shoulder. "I'm sure you can convince Dumbledore to let you spend some time at the Burrow. We need to practice Quidditch!"

"Of course," Harry said, smiling. He knew, however, that this new, intense Dumbledore would allow no such thing.

Ron and Hermione grabbed their trunks and headed out of the common room, waving at Harry as they left. Harry walked over to the window and peered out on the courtyard below. He spotted dozens of students walking towards the train station with their trunks behind them. They all looked happy and normal, excited to see their families. In that moment, Harry felt totally detached from them.

 _My life will never be normal like theirs,_ he thought to himself. He knew that everything in his world was changing, but for some reason, he was excited. He turned away from the window and headed towards Dumbledore's office, reading to begin his new life as Dumbledore's apprentice.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Harry left Gryffindor Tower and began his walk towards Dumbledore's office, ready to begin his first day as Dumbledore's apprentice. Finally, he passed the gargoyles standing watch and knocked on the door.

"Come in, Harry," said Dumbledore from within. Harry opened the door and walked in, taking a seat in chair in front of the Headmaster's mahogany desk.

"Lemon drop?" asked Dumbledore with a slight smirk on his face, pointing to the bowl of candy on his desk.

"No, thank you," replied Harry. "I've just had breakfast."

Dumbledore smiled and nodded in understanding. "Very well. I am assuming you had the chance to say goodbye to your friends this morning?"

Harry simply nodded, not willing to give further explanation.

Dumbledore, sensing his reticence, did not press the issue. "Good. Let us begin then," he said. He grabbed a large stack of papers from underneath the desk and plopped it on top of the desk in front of Harry. "Let's get through this paperwork and make it official."

"Paperwork?" asked Harry in confusion.

"Of course, my boy," said Dumbledore as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "You didn't think this apprenticeship was informal? No, Harry, an apprenticeship is something very formal. A wizard doesn't take on an apprentice lightly. It is a very serious decision. When a wizard chooses an apprentice, it basically means that the wizard has chosen his own successor."

Harry gulped. He had no idea the true significance of what Dumbledore was offering him.

"I had no idea, sir," he stuttered. "Were you ever an apprentice?"

"I was, in fact, many years ago," Dumbledore replied. "I was an apprentice under Nicholas Flamel, who you are undoubtedly familiar with. He was the world's greatest alchemist and, as you know, creator of the Philosopher's Stone. It was under his tutelage that I discovered the 12 uses of dragon's blood."

Harry could only nod. He knew that Dumbledore was a friend of the Flamels, but he did not know the extent of their relationship.

"What is the paperwork for, sir?" asked Harry respectfully.

"Oh, this and that," said Dumbledore evasively. "It will notify the Ministry and by extension, the magical world, that I have officially chosen you as my apprentice. I also agree to take a degree of responsibility for your actions while you are my apprentice. Finally, and perhaps most importantly in your case, it will emancipate you and exempt you from the restriction on underage sorcery, so that you may train outside of the normal school year."

Harry grinned, excited to finally be free of the underage restriction. However, a thought occurred to him.

"Sir, will there be political repercussions for you by accepting me as your apprentice?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore smiled gently. "You have grown, my boy. You have begun thinking of politics already!" he said in an amused tone. "To answer your question, yes. This decision will have enormous consequences in the political sphere, something we will need to use to our advantage. But we will discuss that more later today," he promised.

Harry nodded.

"First, you need to sign the paperwork," Dumbledore instructed as he handed him a quill. As Harry looked at it, he realized it was a blood quill and looked at Dumbledore in alarm.

"I understand your hesitance to use the blood quill," Dumbledore said sadly. "Madam Umbridge never should have used that on you. However, in the world of business and politics, blood quills are frequently used to sign contracts and documents. Used for very short amounts of time, they are harmless."

Gulping, Harry nodded and turned his attention to the documents. He signed all the places where Dumbledore instructed him.

"Very good," exclaimed Dumbledore at the end, clapping his ends. He tapped his wand on top of the documents, causing them to vanish in a flash. "They are now on their way to the Ministry, which means that we will be on the front page of tomorrow's Daily Prophet," he said with a smile.

However, his smile disappeared as he moved on to the next topic of discussion.

"Now, Harry, I wish to have a more serious discussion with you about the consequences of Voldemort's attempted possession," Dumbledore said seriously. "Have you noticed any changes in yourself since you absorbed the soul fragment inside of you?"

Harry thought for a moment before responding. "As I told you yesterday, my scar has not hurt since I absorbed the soul fragment, which is strange, considering how angry Voldemort must be right now."

"Good," said Dumbledore. "Have you noticed any changes in your mood, in your behavior?" he asked suspiciously.

Harry thought about it and quickly replied. "No," he said evasively.

"Harry," Dumbledore said in a disappointed tone, as if he knew Harry was hiding something from him. "When I took you on as my apprentice, I essentially promised to share all of my secrets with you, to not hold anything back. I expect the exact same from you as my apprentice. There should be no secrets between us," Dumbledore chastised. "Now I will ask you again: have you noticed any changes in yourself?"

Harry sighed and slowly began to speak. "There are a few things that I have noticed in the past day," he explained. "Last night, when I was talking to Ron and Hermione in the hospital wing, something strange happened…"

Dumbledore continued staring at him through his moon-shaped spectacles, urging him to go on.

"When I looked them in the eyes, I suddenly felt afraid. When I looked away, the feeling disappeared. It was almost as if I was feeling what they were feeling," he admitted.

"Interesting," Dumbledore murmured to himself. "Harry, I want you to look me in the eyes and try to feel what I am feeling," he instructed.

Harry nodded and looked into Dumbledore's blue eyes. Immediately, he felt a spike of curiosity, as well as worry.

"I feel curious, but worried at the same time," Harry said.

"It is as I suspected," Dumbledore murmured mysteriously.

"What, sir?" Harry blurted out.

"Just now, I let down my occlumency shields and you were able to sense what I was feeling," Dumbledore explained. "In other words, you were performing rudimentary legilimency."

Harry's mouth hung open in shock. His earlier suspicions had been confirmed. "How is that possible?" he asked.

Dumbledore clasped his hands together before continuing. "I can only guess at why, but my guesses do tend to be pretty good," he began. "I believe that when you absorbed the fragment of Voldemort's soul, you gained some of his abilities. As you know, Tom Riddle is one of the greatest practitioners of legilimency to ever live. You have inherited some of his ability," Dumbledore explained.

"So that means that I am a master legilimencer?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore chuckled. "No, not yet," he said. "Right now, it is more of a latent ability. However, I believe that as you study and begin practicing the minds arts, you will learn very quickly and, I daresay, gain a mastery in a very short amount of time."

"Wow," was all Harry could say.

"Wow, indeed," Dumbledore echoed. "This has profound implications for your training and your life. If my suspicions are correct, you will be able to master new magic at an astonishing rate due to your absorption of the soul fragment. Instead of learning something completely new, it will be like relearning something that you had merely forgotten," Dumbledore hypothesized.

"I have another curiosity," Dumbledore admitted. Suddenly, he whipped out his wand and said, " _Serpensortia!"_ Suddenly, a snake shot out the end of Dumbledore's wand and began hissing threateningly at the pair.

" _Stop! We mean no harm!"_ said Harry in Parseltongue. The snake froze, and Dumbledore immediately vanished it.

"Just as I thought," he said. "You have retained your ability to speak in Parseltongue. A very useful talent indeed."

Dumbledore continued his questioning. "Harry, have you noticed any changes in your behavior or mood since the Ministry?"

Harry thought about it. Obviously, he was still upset about Sirius' death, but he knew that was not what Dumbledore was referring to. He thought back to his discussion with Dumbledore two nights ago. He had been so angry, but he had remained in control of his emotions the entire time. Instead of exploding and letting his anger out, he had kept it inside, controlled.

Then, he thought of his discussion with Ron and Hermione the previous night. He had decided to push them away in order to protect it, but now he suspected there was more to it than that. As he spoke with them, he had felt a subtle desire to be alone, to be independent. He knew they were afraid of him, so he didn't want them too close. The worst part, however, was that he didn't feel particularly bad about pushing them away.

"There is one more thing," Harry said quietly. "I feel like I have been more in control of my emotions. Instead of letting my anger and grief out, I have kept it in, kept it controlled. And I feel this need to protect people by pushing them away. And I feel like I need to be better, to prove myself to everyone. That's something that I have never felt before."

"I see," said Dumbledore sadly. It looked as if he had suddenly aged 10 years in front of Harry's eyes.

"What?" Harry inquired.

"I believe that the soul fragment has caused some changes in your personality," Dumbledore admitted. "It is my belief that you have gained some of Tom's own qualities."

"I am turning into Voldemort?" Harry exclaimed in fear, rising to his feet.

"No, my boy," reassured Dumbledore. "Rather, some of Tom's qualities have begun to mix with some of your qualities. Take, for example, your desire to push people away in order to protect them. You have always had the desire to protect and save people if I may say so myself. Tom has always had the desire to be independent and the tendency to keep people at arm's length because he was afraid of what would happen if he let them get close. When you combine those qualities, you get the tendency to push people away in an attempt to protect them."

"Not all of Tom's qualities are bad," continued Dumbledore. "He always had the need to excel, to be the best. Used correctly, it can be a very useful quality, one that you lacked before," he said with a chuckle.

Harry nodded, but he still felt sick to his stomach. "I just don't like the idea that I am so similar to Voldemort," he said.

"You have always been similar to him," Dumbledore replied. "That is why he targeted you in the first place. You are his equal, in more ways than one. Now so even more than ever."

"What do you mean?" asked Harry.

"Think about it. Both of you are half-bloods. Both of you are orphans and grew up in less than ideal environments. Both of you view Hogwarts as your first home. Both of you are Parseltongues," explained Dumbledore. "However, there are important differences as well, namely your good heart and your ability to love. That will end up making all the difference," he concluded in an attempt to assuage Harry's fears.

"Now," Dumbledore exclaimed, "enough with this worrisome discussion. We have much more important things to do. First, we need to pay a visit to Madame Pomfrey!"

With that, he stood up and guided Harry towards the door. Together, they began walking towards the hospital wing.

"Why do we need to see Madame Pomfrey?" Harry asked as they walked.

"I am curious as to what effects the absorption of the soul fragment has had on your body and your magic," he explained. "Also, I would like to ensure that all of your previous injuries have been completely healed before you begin training. You need to be completely healthy in order to reach your full potential."

Harry nodded understanding and they walked the rest of the way in silence. Finally, they reached the hospital wing and Dumbledore swept the doors open. Inside, Madame Pomfrey was waiting for them.

"Ah, Madame Pomfrey. Young Harry here is ready for his checkup as we discussed earlier," exclaimed Dumbledore.

"Yes, yes, sit down here," said Madame Pomfrey, motioning to one of the beds. Harry sat down and waited. Pomfrey stood in front of him and began to wave her wand in complicated motions while she muttered complicated spells that Harry had never heard before. On the table beside the bed, an enchanted quill began to write rapidly on a piece of parchment.

After several minutes, she put down her wand and the quill fell silent. She picked up the parchment and began to read. As she read, her eyes opened in shock.

"Remarkable," she said. Dumbledore came and stood beside her in order to read the parchment as well.

"There are a number of noteworthy items here," she began. "Let's begin with the older ones first. You have had a number of injuries during your life, including several broken bones and one regrown bone. Your magic has healed these injuries quite nicely, so there is no concern there."

"Interestingly, you have trace levels of both basilisk venom and phoenix tears in your blood. I assume this is from your adventures three years ago?"

Harry nodded, and she continued. "Very well. It is interesting that both substances have remained in your blood stream, although this could be very beneficial for you. I believe that the basilisk venom has acted like a vaccine of sorts. In essence, it has vaccinated you and made you immune to all other snake venoms."

"Curious," murmured Dumbledore.

"Also, of note – have you had any problems with your glasses?"

Harry thought about it. "Yes, actually," he said. "My glasses are a little fuzzy since yesterday."

"Try taking them off," suggested Madame Pomfrey. Harry took off the glasses and blinked a few times.

"I can see perfectly!" he exclaimed. "I don't even need my glasses!"

"Just as I thought," said Pomfrey. "The test results say that you have perfect vision!"

"It seems that the incident in the Ministry has fixed your eyesight," said Dumbledore. "That magic must have been affecting your ocular nerve."

"Indeed. Now, there are several other significant results that we need to discuss. First is your scar," she said, pointing to his forehead. "There are minute, trace amounts of dark magic emanating from the scar, but those should disappear entirely within the next day. It seems to me that there used to be a much larger presence of dark magic within your scar, but recently that magic was purged from your system."

Harry and Dumbledore glanced at each other with a knowing look, which did not go unnoticed by Madame Pomfrey. "I will assume that my predictions are correct," she said, but did not ask any further questions.

"The final issue of note is your magical core, Mr. Potter," she said.

"What? Is there a problem with it?" he asked, panicked.

"No, quite the opposite in fact. You have always had an exceptionally powerful magical core. Even as a young teenager, your core was on par with that of a typical adult wizard," she said. "That explains why you can perform exceptionally powerful spells, such as the Patronus Charm, and why you can put more power behind normal spells," she explained.

"Now, however, your core has undergone massive growth," she said. "I am not sure what has caused it, but it seems that your core recently underwent a very strenuous experience which caused it to expand. I daresay that your core is even larger than Albus's," she said with a glance at Dumbledore. "And it still has room to grow. Magical cores typically grow until the witch or wizard hits magical maturity at around 17. You still have another year of growth."

"Fascinating," muttered Dumbledore. "This seems to confirm my suspicions. Thank you for your help, Madame Pomfrey."

"Of course. There is one more thing," she said. "Your body weight and muscle mass are slightly below what I would like. I want you to take a nutrient potion every day for the next two weeks. These, combined with exercise, will help you to gain significant weight and muscle," she said as she pulled several potions out of a cupboard. "I will have the house elves give these to you at every meal," she explained.

Harry nodded in understanding. With that, he said goodbye to the nurse and followed Dumbledore out of the hospital wing.

"Life is never boring around you, my boy," Dumbledore chuckled as they walked.

"Where are we going now?" Harry inquired, struggling to keep up with Dumbledore's long strides.

"Now, my boy, we are going to make some waves, as the muggles say," said Dumbledore cryptically.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, confused.

"It means that you are going to play the age-old game of politics," said Dumbledore with a mischievous smile. "We are going to visit Gringotts. If you would kindly take my hand," he said, holding his hand out to Harry.

Hesitantly, he grabbed the headmaster's hand. Instantly, he began to spin and felt like he was being pushed through a tube. As soon as it began, it was over. He found himself standing in Diagon Alley in front of Gringotts Banks.

"Did we just…"

"Apparate? Yes. One of the many advantages of being headmaster is the ability to apparate in and out of Hogwarts," Dumbledore explained. "Come now, we have lots to do."

They strode forward and climbed up the steps of the bank, nodding to the goblins who stood on guard on either side of the doors. As Harry looked around, everyone seemed nervous. They spoke in hushed tones and avoided eye contact.

"Do people seem… different to you?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Indeed. The news of Voldemort's return has frightened many people. The first war was terrifying, and many people fear that it is happening again."

Their conversation ended as they reached the front desk.

"Hello, we are here to meet with Ripfang. We have an appointment," said Dumbledore respectfully. The goblin eyed them carefully, trying to discern if they were who they said they were.

"Very well," the goblin said after a long moment. "Follow me." He hopped down from his seat and began walking down the hall into the depths of Gringotts, not waiting to see if Harry and Dumbledore were following.

The pair quickly walked after him. After a few minutes, they arrived at a door with a sign that read _Ripfang: Black Family Account Manager._ The goblin knocked and opened the door to reveal a dimly lit office. At the desk in the center of the room was seated a mean looking goblin.

"Mr. Dumbledore, Mr. Potter, I've been expecting you," said the goblin in a snarky tone. "Sit down." The pair walked in and sat down while the door closed behind them.

"I assume you are here regarding the will of Mr. Sirius Black?" the goblin asked.

Dumbledore nodded. Harry looked at him in shock. He had no idea that was why they had come here.

"Very well," the goblin continued before Harry could think any further. "We have already begun executing Mr. Black's will. It was very simple. He left everything to you, Mr. Potter, including the title of Lord Black."

Dumbledore nodded in understanding, and Harry thought he looked satisfied.

"I assume that Mr. Potter wishes to take up the mantle of Lord Black now?" the goblin asked. "We have already received the notification of apprenticeship between you two, which means Mr. Potter is emancipated and fully eligible to take up the title of Lord Black."

"That is correct," Dumbledore affirmed.

"Very good," Ripfang said as he pulled a box from one of his desk drawers. He opened it to reveal a single ring. "The process is quite simple. No words, no magical vows. Mr. Potter merely needs to put on the lordship ring. The family magic will then judge Mr. Potter to see if he is worthy."

Harry gulped and looked at Dumbledore for guidance. He merely nodded at him, motioning him to continue. Harry picked up the ring and inspected it. It had a Grimm on the ring face – the symbol of the Black Family. He quickly put it on his ring finger. He felt a rush of magic course through his body. After a few moments, the magic subsided.

"Very well. The Black family magic has accepted you as the new Lord Black," said the goblin.

Dumbledore looked pleased. "It seems that you have enough Black blood in you," he said. At Harry's confused look, he explained. "Your grandmother, Dorea, was originally a Black. Her brother was Sirius' grandfather."

Ripfang suddenly grabbed a stack of papers and handed them to Harry. "These are the summaries and holdings of your various accounts and investments. In addition, you will find a list of the various members of House Black that currently have accounts with Gringotts."

"Now, if that is all, I have important business to get to," said the goblin gruffly.

"Actually, there are a few other things that Mr. Potter needs to attend to," said Dumbledore immediately, before Ripfang could get them out the door. "First, Mr. Potter needs to take up the title of Lord Potter now that he is emancipated. In addition, Mr. Potter wishes to undergo the inheritance ritual."

The goblin looked annoyed but acquiesced to Dumbledore's requests. "Very well," he said. He called in a goblin from the hall. "Please bring me the Potter account manager," he ordered. The other goblin nodded and hurried down the hall in search of the Potter account manager.

"While we are waiting," the goblin growled in annoyance, "let us begin the inheritance ritual. He pulled a special piece of parchment from his desk, as well as a blood quill. He placed both in front of Harry.

"Please write your name with the blood quill. The parchment is enchanted to analyze your blood and determine which families you are descended from."

Harry eyed the quill in distaste but picked it up and wrote his name at the top of the paper. For a moment, nothing happened, but suddenly, words began to appear on the parchment.

 _Lord Hadrian James Potter-Black_

 _Born July 31, 1980_

 _Father: James Charlus Potter_

 _Mother: Lily Violetta Potter née Black_

 _Paternal Grandfather: Charlus Potter_

 _Paternal Grandmother: Dorea Potter née Black_

 _Maternal Grandfather: Alphard Black_

 _Maternal Grandmother: Violetta Black née Rosier_

 _Potential to receive following lordships:_

 _Lord Peverell_

 _Lord Rosier_

The room was silent for several minutes as they attempted to process what they were reading.

"What?" Harry finally said. "My mom's maiden name is Evans! She was a muggleborn!"

"Apparently not," Dumbledore said, a look of intense curiosity on his face. "I wonder…" he said mysteriously.

"What?" Harry demanded impatiently.

"I remember Alphard Black and Violetta Rosier from their days at Hogwarts. They were good friends, but the Black Family and the Rosier Family were at war during those days. However, it seems as if they maintained a secret, forbidden relationship the entire time," mused Dumbledore.

"Who are they?" demanded Harry.

"Alphard Black was Sirius' uncle – a good man, if I may say so. Shortly after graduated Hogwarts, he left to travel the world for several years. Violetta Rosier was an intelligent, ambitious, yet sweet girl. She belonged to the Rosier family – a notoriously dark family that feuded with the Blacks for almost a century, until Alphard's brother, Cygnus, married Druella Rosier and ended the feud. If I remember correctly, she also left to travel the world after graduating from Hogwarts. It seems that they ran off together without their families' knowledge."

"Oh, how I love pureblood customers!" said Ripfang besides them in apparent glee. "There is always so much intrigue and drama!"

Dumbledore chuckled at the goblin's antics. "Indeed, it appears that Mr. Potter here is not a halfblood, but a pureblood. What more can you tell us about Alphard Black and Violetta Rosier?" he asked Ripfang.

"Alphard Black was born April 15, 1940 and died September 15, 1977. Violetta Rosier was born March 8, 1940 and died January 30, 1960."

"Incredible…" Dumbledore muttered. "Violetta died the same day your mother was born, Harry. She must have died giving birth to your mother. If I recall, Alphard was the one who found Violetta's body! The Rosiers assumed that he had killed her, which only made the feud between the families worse! But it seems he didn't kill her… He was there because she was giving birth to their daughter!" exclaimed Dumbledore.

"But why did my mother grow up with the Evans?" asked Harry, still confused and lost.

"I can only guess. The two people who truly knew are dead. However, I believe that after Violetta died, Alphard must have given Lily to a muggle family to be raised. The Blacks and Rosiers hated each other bitterly, and perhaps he believed that Lily would not be accepted by either family. Or perhaps he did not want her growing up as a Black. We may never know the real reason."

Harry began thinking back to the Black family tapestry hanging in 12 Grimmauld Place. "Wait," he exclaimed, "wasn't Alphard disowned by Sirius' mother?"

"She may have burned him off the family tapestry," Ripfang said suddenly, "but he was never officially disowned by Lord Black. According to our records, he died as a full member of the Black Family."

"It is no wonder the Black family magic accepted you," Dumbledore said. "You have Black blood on both sides of your family!"

"So does this mean Petunia is not really my aunt?" asked Harry suddenly.

Dumbledore gave Harry a pensive look. "That is correct, my boy. I always wondered why Lily and Petunia looked so different…"

He was interrupted as another goblin walked into the room.

"Griphook?" Harry asked, recognizing the goblin who had first taken him to his trust vault.

"Yes," replied the goblin. "I am the Potter account manager. Why was I summoned?" he asked gruffly.

"Lord Black here wishes to take up the title of Lord Potter," Ripfang replied. "However, there have been some developments." He handed the parchment with the inheritance results to Griphook.

"Developments, indeed," Griphook said with a greedy smile. He called in another goblin. "Bring me everything we have on the Rosier family," he ordered.

"What is happening now?" asked Harry exasperatingly.

"Now, you can take up the lordship of the Potter, Peverell, and Rosier families," declared Griphook with glee.

"But how is any of this possible?" asked Harry.

"The Peverell and Potter families are rather simple," said Griphook. "The Peverell family ended centuries ago, with the final Peverell daughter marrying into the Potter family. However, the Peverell lordship still exists and has a seat on the Wizengamot. As the last Potter, you are eligible to take up the lordship of House Peverell as well."

He continued. "The Rosier family ended in 1980 when Evan Rosier was killed in the first wizarding war. As the grandson of his younger sister, Violetta, you are the best candidate to take up the Rosier lordship as well."

Harry nodded in understanding. "But what if I don't want to take up these lordships?" he questioned.

Dumbledore gave him a searching glance. "Harry, these lordships will not only give you money and power, but the chance to make your mark on this world and leave lasting change. Isn't that what you want?"

Harry thought to himself. The ambition and desire he had felt when he asked Dumbledore to train him came roaring back. "Yes," he said with determination. "Let's do it."

"Very good," said Griphook as the other goblin returned, carrying an armful of documents and boxes, which he set on the table. Griphook opened the first of the boxes which contained the Potter lordship ring.

Harry grabbed it and slid it on to his finger. Just as with the Black ring, he felt a rush of magic go through his body, which quickly subsided.

"Very good, Lord Potter-Black," said Griphook. He opened the next box, which had a ring with a threstral on it. He quickly grabbed it and slid it onto his finger. Once again, the magic surged and subsided.

"The Peverell magic has accepted you," Griphook said. "Now onto Rosier…"

Finally, the goblin handed him the final box. Harry peered inside and saw a ring with a dragon on its face. Slowly, he grabbed the ring and slid it onto one of his fingers. Immediately, the magic rushed through him. This time, the pressure was much more intense. He felt the magic sweep through his magical core as if it were inspecting him. Finally, the magic lessened and subsided entirely. He opened his eyes and looked around. He heard the goblins and Dumbledore let out deep sighs, as if they were relieved.

"Congratulations," Ripfang said. "You are now the Lord of House Potter, Black, Peverell, and Rosier. What would you like us to address you as?"

Harry thought for a moment about all of the recent revelations. Finally, he spoke. "I will be go by Lord Potter Black," he said.

Griphook nodded and grabbed a few pieces of paper. "These papers are summaries of the holdings of the Potter and Rosier families. The Peverell family assets have already been rolled into the Potter holdings," he explained. "As you can see, your assets are quite extensive. How would you us to manage your money?" he asked.

Harry thought for a moment as he looked at the paper, trying to make a decision. "Ripfang, please keep managing the Black assets. You may invest 50% of the liquid assets for now, but that may change in the future." He turned to Griphook. "Griphook, please manage the Potter and Rosier assets. You may also invest up to 50% of the liquid assets. I will need to look deeper into the holdings of all three families before I make any further decisions."

The goblins nodded their understanding. Harry and Dumbledore stood to leave. Harry thanked the two goblins for their time as they left the office.

As they walked down the hall, Dumbledore chuckled and said, "I said that we would be making waves. It seems, however, that I underestimated the size of those waves. What happened today will cause a massive disruption within the Wizengamot and the Ministry, something that we must be ready to capitalize on."

Harry nodded, not truly understanding the full meaning of what Dumbledore was saying. Before they could reach the lobby of the bank, however, they a goblin caught them from behind.

"Lord Potter Black, Chief Warlock, Ripfang and Griphook wish to see you again. They said it is urgent," wheezed the goblin.

Harry and Dumbledore looked at each other in confusion and walked back to Ripfang's office.

"Thank you for returning," said Ripfang. "It seems there is another important order of business."

"What would that be?" asked Harry.

Ripfang smiled and handed him another stack of papers. "A marriage contract, Lord Potter Black…"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Ripfang smiled and handed Harry another stack of papers. "A marriage contract, Lord Potter Black…"

Harry was speechless. "A marriage contract? What is that?" he asked. He looked over at Dumbledore, who had a look of surprise on his face. After a moment, he recovered and glanced at Harry.

"A marriage contract is when two families write an agreement to bind together a member of each family in marriage," answered Professor Dumbledore. "It is a very antiquated custom. I do not think any marriage contracts have been written in the last century."

"You are correct, Chief Warlock," said Griphook, who was still in the room. "Gringotts has not recorded a new marriage contract in over a hundred years. However, it appears that the marriage contract involving Lord Potter Black was written centuries ago by the Black family."

"Who is the contract with?" asked Harry, already dreading the answer.

Ripfang spoke up. "The contract was signed by the Black family and the Greengrass family in 1683. However, I believe the contract now applies to a Ms. Daphne Alexis Greengrass."

Daphne Greengrass… The name was familiar to him. He thought of his classmates at Hogwarts and immediately remembered where he had heard the name.

"Daphne Greengrass, she's a Slytherin in my year, isn't she?" he asked, looking at Dumbledore for confirmation.

"Indeed she is," replied Dumbledore with a curious look on his face. "What a fascinating turn of events!"

"What does this mean for me?" Harry asked as he began to panic.

"It means that you must marry Ms. Greengrass by your 18th birthday," said Ripfang succinctly.

"And what if I don't?" asked Harry defiantly.

"Then you will lose your magic, become a Squib, and quite possibly die a painful death," answered Griphook with a smirk on his face.

"How did this happen to me? I didn't sign any contract!" Harry protested.

"The contract was signed by the then Lord Black, who made it binding on all members of the family. By becoming Lord Black just now, you became an official member of the family and accepted all duties, responsibilities, contracts, and liabilities that might come with it," explained Ripfang. "The Black family magic has made it binding upon you."

At this point, Harry was in full blown panic mode. He didn't know Daphne Greengrass well, but he did not want to be forced into a contract against his wishes.

"How can I get out of the contract? Is there a buy out or something?" pleaded Harry, hoping for a miracle.

"Unfortunately, no, there are no buyouts and no escape clauses. You may peruse the contract and see for yourself, but it seems to be an ironclad contract," summarized Ripfang.

To Harry, it seemed like the whole world seemed to be crashing down.

"Why now? Why did no one fulfil this contract during the last 300 years?" asked Harry angrily.

"It was never fulfilled because the conditions of the contract were never met," explained Ripfang. "It seems that this contract acted as an emergency fallback in case the future of the Black and Greengrass families was ever threatened. In order for the contract to be activated, one of the families has to have no male heirs, and the family without a male heir has to have a daughter born within a year of a male of the other family. The Greengrass family only has two daughters, while you are the only surviving male in the Black family. In addition, you and Ms. Greengrass were born 9 months apart, fulfilling the stipulations of the contract. Over the past centuries, many pureblood families, including the Black and Greengrass families, have grown smaller and smaller in number, until they have become what they are today."

Harry put his head in his hands and sighed deeply. It seemed like there was no way out. He would look through the contract, but he doubted he would find anything. If the goblins could not find a way, he doubted he could.

"You said we have to marry by my 18th birthday," Harry said. "Does the contract say anything else?"

"I will have to read the contract in more depth," explained Ripfang. "The contract was just barely brought to my attention. However, I do know that you will be required to give your second son the surname of Greengrass."

"Second son?" asked Harry in surprise. "It specifies how many children we have to have?"

"I am not sure," admitted Ripfang. "Some old contracts do contain such specificity. However, this contract might just require you to give the surname of Greengrass to your second son if you do have a second son."

Harry was beginning to panic again when he felt Dumbledore's hand on his shoulder. He looked questioningly at the headmaster.

"Control your emotions," Dumbledore said simply. Harry nodded, trying to get himself under control. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and cleared his mind of all thoughts. Slowly, the panic and worry faded away into the background. He opened his eyes calmly and saw Dumbledore smiling proudly at him.

"That, my boy, is basic occlumency," said Dumbledore. Harry looked at him in surprise. Dumbledore's theory was right. Clearing his mind had once been incredibly difficult for him. Now, it seemed to come naturally to him. His new latent abilities were beginning to shine through.

With his emotions under control, he turned back to the goblins.

"Ripfang, are there any other portions of the contract that I should be aware of?" he asked. Outwardly, he now seemed cool and collected. Inside, he was marveling at the total mood shift he had just undergone after clearing his mind. In that moment, he realized how much of an impact the soul fragment was beginning to have on him.

Ripfang shook his head. "Beyond the standard fidelity clause, there is nothing else."

Harry nodded, but decided to ask Dumbledore about the fidelity clause later.

"Very well. Will Gringotts be notifying Ms. Greengrass about the contract, or does that responsibility fall to me?" he asked.

"Gringotts will notify the Greengrass family about the activation of the contract and the basic details of the contract, but nothing more. It is your responsibility to enter in contact with Ms. Greengrass in preparation for the execution of the contract," Ripfang explained.

"Execution of the contract? You mean the wedding?" Harry clarified.

"Precisely," said the goblin simply.

Harry mentally snorted in amusement. Leave it to a goblin to describe a wedding as the execution of a contract.

Suddenly, Dumbledore spoke up. "One more thing before we leave. Lord Potter Black will be needing a money pouch connected to his accounts."

"Of course," Ripfang said. He reached into his desk and pulled out a nondescript black bag, which he handed to Harry. "Any money taken from this pouch will be automatically withdrawn from the liquid assets in your vaults. In addition, we are providing you with a muggle debit card that will also draw from your accounts."

Harry nodded in understanding. He and Dumbledore rose and walked out of the office. Fortunately, they were not stopped by any other goblins this time. They reached the bank's entrance and stepped out into Diagon Alley.

"Before we return to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said, "there is one more thing we need to take care of."

Harry raised an eyebrow, motioning him to continue.

"I am an old, senile old man. I can get away with wearing eccentric robes in strange colors," Dumbledore explained. "You, however, are a young man, attempting to gain power and influence. You need to dress the part. I understand that much of your clothing came from your cousin. However, you have more than enough money to purchase clothing that reflects the man you truly are."

"You want me to shop for clothes?" Harry asked in absolute disbelief.

"Precisely!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "But we must do so quickly. We still have things to do back at the castle!"

Harry shook his head in amusement. Never in a million years could he have imagined that one day, he would be shopping for clothes with Dumbledore.

They quickly walked to Madam Malkin's, ignoring the stares all around them. Madam Malkin immediately recognized them as they walked into the store and came to help them.

"Mr. Potter, Professor Dumbledore, how may I help you?" she asked.

"Lord Potter Black here needs a new wardrobe," Dumbledore said, looking at Harry. The shopkeeper's eyes went wide at the information. Harry himself was surprised that Dumbledore was using Harry's full title already.

"Yes," Harry said quickly. "I need four sets of acromantula silk dress robes. Please inscribe each robe with the coats of arms of the Potter, Peverell, Black, and Rosier families. In addition, I need 8 sets of everyday robes, also made of acromantula silk, also with the same coats of arms."

Madam Malkin nodded in understanding, shocked that Harry had included the Rosier family as well. "I can have that done in a few hours," she said.

"That will be fine," Harry said. "Also, I appreciate your discretion in this matter." He did not want her telling anyone about his new titles just yet. She nodded and hurried off to begin work.

At his side, Dumbledore nodded his approval. "While we are waiting, let us venture into the muggle world in order to find some regular clothing," he suggested.

Harry agreed. They headed for the Leaky Cauldron. Just before they stepped out into muggle London, Dumbledore transfigured his robes into an old suit. They stepped out of the Leaky Cauldron and just down the street, they found a Harold's department store. Knowing they only had an hour, Harry began to shop quickly. He quickly found a number of pants, T shirts, button up shirts, and shoes that he liked. However, he was drawn to the suits. After trying on several, he selected four high end suits. Dumbledore smiled in approval when he saw the suits.

"Very fashionable," he said. "I have always enjoyed certain aspects of muggle fashion much more than wizarding fashion," he admitted. "Perhaps you will be the one to make suits fashionable in the wizarding world."

Quickly, Harry paid for the items. It was a large sum, but Harry knew he had much larger amounts in his vaults. They hurried out of the store and back to Diagon Alley to pick up his new robes. He paid Madam Malkin for the robes, left the store, and grabbed Dumbledore's hand as he apparated them back to Hogwarts.

They landed in front of the entrance to the Great Hall. Miraculously, Harry managed to keep his footing as they landed.

 _I sure hope that is one of the abilities I gained from the soul fragment,_ Harry thought to himself, _the ability to use magical transportation without falling on my butt._

"Come, Harry," said Dumbledore, striding forward into the empty Great Hall. "It is almost dinner and I am sure you are famished. We have not eaten all day."

Not waiting for Harry, he sat down at the Gryffindor table and called a house elf, which promptly appeared.

"Would you be so kind as to bring dinner for Lord Potter Black and me?" Dumbledore asked the house elf.

"Of course, Master Dumblydore," the house elf squeaked and disappeared.

Shaking his head in amusement, Harry walked forward and sat across from Dumbledore.

"I imagine you have a lot of questions right now," said Dumbledore to Harry. Just then, the house elves reappeared with lots of food, which they placed in front of the pair.

"I will attempt to answer most of your questions," said Dumbledore. "Some, however, you must discover on your own."

Harry nodded in understanding.

"What happened today at Gringotts was a rare, momentous occasion. You are the lord of not one but four ancient houses. That fact will have massive consequences for our world."

"Why is that?" asked Harry quietly.

"Let me briefly explain the structure of the Wizengamot. There are three main factions within the Wizengamot: the light, the dark, and the grey. The light and the dark are the largest factions, each constituting about 40% of the vote. Neither, however, has a majority. That is why the grey is so crucial. In order to gain a majority and pass any legislation, each faction has to win over at least half of the grey faction."

"Today, you brought back two houses that had not participated in the Wizengamot since your grandfather Charlus was alive: the Potter and Peverell houses. Those votes will help to bolster the light faction. In addition, you removed two votes from the dark faction: the Black and Rosier families. That will also help to strengthen the light faction."

"However, you have also gained significant influence with the grey faction today," said Dumbledore.

"How is that?" asked Harry.

"Through your betrothal with Ms. Greengrass," Dumbledore answered simply. "Lord Greengrass is the de facto leader of the grey faction. By having his daughter betrothed to you, he is, for all intents and purposes, aligning himself with you, whether he means to or not. This will also influence many other members of the grey faction to support you."

"In addition, the fact that you are actually a pureblood will seem much more attractive to the grey faction," commented Dumbledore.

"But sir, I thought you didn't care about blood purity," asked Harry, worried and confused.

"I personally don't believe in blood purity, but that doesn't mean I completely ignore it," said Dumbledore. Seeing Harry's bewildered face, he continued.

"I have been called many things during my life. One of the most common ones is 'muggle loving fool,'" began Dumbledore. "While I do believe that the wizarding world can learn many things from muggles, and while I do fight to give muggleborns more rights, that does mean I am ignorant or naïve. I know exactly how this world works. I did not become the Supreme Mugwump and Chief Warlock by merely being a powerful, eccentric old wizard. No, I arrived here because I know how to play the game of politics. I have always believed that it is easiest to help someone out of a position of strength. If we are to achieve any lasting change in this world, it is from a position of strength and power. In order to achieve that position of strength, you need to play politics. And unfortunately, in today's politics, blood purity does matter," concluded Dumbledore.

Harry looked at Dumbledore in shock. He had never expected that from the gentle old man. He had always viewed Dumbledore as an idealist. However, he was beginning to realize that Dumbledore was much more realistic than that.

"Do you understand where I am coming from?" Dumbledore asked Harry.

"Yes, sir," said Harry. "I agree with you. I am just surprised to hear that you believe those things."

Dumbledore gave a chuckle. "I am not a barmy old man, my boy. For some reason, most people tend to forget that."

The pair ate in silence for a few minutes before Dumbledore spoke again.

"I wish for you to read through all of your account and holding summaries tonight before you go to bed," he instructed. "I imagine that your wealth and holdings are quite extensive, and it is important to know what resources you have at your disposal."

"Okay," Harry agreed. "I also want to study up on the remaining members of House Black."

Dumbledore smiled in approval while taking another bite.

Harry spoke up again. "Sir, what do you know about Daphne Greengrass?" he asked hesitantly.

"Curious, eh?" chuckled Dumbledore. "Miss Greengrass is a member of the Slytherin house, as you know. I have heard several students remark about her beauty – something I am sure you have noticed as well. She is also a very intelligent young woman. She consistently finishes second in your class rankings, just behind Miss Granger. Although, if you were to tutor Miss Greengrass in defense against the dark arts, she might be able to claim the top spot," finished Dumbledore with a smirk.

"As for her family, the Greengrasses are an old, pureblood family, members of the Sacred 28. They are renowned for their so called "neutrality," which is why they are members of the grey faction," explained the Headmaster.

"How do you think she will react when she finds out about the contract?" Harry asked.

"I imagine she will react just as you did initially," remarked Dumbledore. "She will be upset and disappointed at first. However, I am sure she will realize how advantageous a contract with you will be. She is quite an ambitious girl."

Harry nodded, thinking about the Headmaster's comments. He knew he was referring to the political ramifications of their betrothal. It was strange, however, to hear the Headmaster talk about such important matters so casually.

The pair finished up their meal and prepared to leave the Great Hall.

Before they left, Dumbledore left Harry with a few last instructions.

"Remember to read through all of the Gringotts tonight," he reminded Harry. "I will expect you to fill me in on it tomorrow. Also, do not forget to practice your Occlumency before you go to sleep. I saw how you were able to clear your mind in the bank today. I imagine that you will be able to progress quite rapidly."

"Of course, sir," said Harry. "I won't let you down."

Dumbledore smiled. "I know you won't, my boy. Be ready bright and early tomorrow morning. Your training starts first thing," he said as a smirk as he walked away, leaving Harry wondering what torture awaited him in the morning.

* * *

Daphne Greengrass sat down at the kitchen table to eat breakfast. Today was the first day of summer vacation and she was excited to relax for a few weeks. The last few months had been especially stressful due to her endless studying for her OWLs. She had just finished her fifth year at Hogwarts and would be beginning her NEWT studies the following school year.

Daphne was a member of the Slytherin house and was considered by most of the boys at Hogwarts to be the best-looking girl in her year. With long blonde hair and a curvaceous body, she knew that many of the boys at Hogwarts would give an arm or a leg for a chance with her. None, however, had ever gotten that chance.

As she sat down, she saw her mother and father already eating breakfast. "Good morning," Daphne said quietly.

"Good morning, Daphne," her mother replied kindly. Anastasia Greengrass was the mirror image of her daughter. She had long blonde hair and a face very similar to Daphne's.

Anastasia Greengrass looked to her husband beside her, expecting him to say good morning as well. However, he was too busy reading the Daily Prophet to pay any attention.

"Jonathan!" Anastasia scolded him, slapping his shoulder lightly. Startled, he looked up and saw his daughter at the table.

"Oh, good morning, Daphne," he said quickly. "Didn't see you there. Where's Astoria?"

Astoria was Daphne's younger sister and had just completed her third year at Hogwarts.

"Sleeping still. She will probably sleep until noon," remarked Daphne.

"What story is so interesting today that you don't notice us talking to you?" Daphne's mother inquired, putting her hands on her hips.

"Oh nothing, just that Dumbledore officially accepted the Potter boy as his apprentice," Daphne's father said, turning his attention back to the newspaper nonchalantly.

"He did what?" Anastasia exclaimed in surprise. She grabbed the newspaper from her husband's hands in order to see for herself.

Daphne rose to her feet and walked to stand beside her mother in order to read the story as well. It was plastered all over the front page.

 **DUMBLEDORE ACCEPTS HARRY POTTER AS HIS APPRENTICE!**

 _DEFEATER OF GRINDELWALD AGREES TO TRAIN THE CHOSEN ONE!_

 _In a stunning turn of events, Albus Dumbledore, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Headmaster of Hogwarts, and recipient of the Order of Merlin, First Class, has announced that he has accepted Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, as his official apprentice. Potter becomes the first and only apprentice of the illustrious and celebrated wizard. The announcement comes less than a day after the revelation that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has returned, in which You-Know-Who was seen at the Ministry, battling with Chief Warlock Dumbledore and Mr. Potter. Witnesses describe the awe-inspiring battle in the atrium of the Ministry in which Mr. Dumbledore battled the Dark Lord to a standstill while Mr. Potter dueled the Dark Lord's lieutenant, the infamous Bellatrix Lestrange, who recently escaped from Azkaban._

 _The Ministry has yet to release an official statement on the return of the Dark Lord. However, one must wonder if Headmaster Dumbledore has decided to take matters into his own hands by training the boy-who-lived and preparing him for an eventual confrontation with the Dark Lord. Sources within the Ministry have begun identifying Mr. Potter as the Chosen One, a title that Mr. Dumbledore's actions seem to confirm._

 _In papers filed with the Ministry, it was revealed that Dumbledore has taken Mr. Potter on as his formal apprentice. This type of apprenticeship is exceedingly rare and has only occurred five times in the past century, including Mr. Dumbledore's own apprenticeship with the famous alchemist Nicholas Flamel, creator of the Philosopher's Stone. In essence, Mr. Dumbledore has handpicked Mr. Potter as his eventual successor and will train him to, one day, take his place._

 _We at the Daily Prophet applaud Mr. Dumbledore's decision to mentor young Mr. Potter, who has been the lone voice of truth over the past 12 months regarding the return of the Dark Lord. We wish Mr. Potter the best in this new endeavor and welcome his increasing influence in magical Britain._

 _For more information on formal apprenticeships, see B9._

 _For more information on Albus Dumbledore and his relationship with Nicholas Flamel, see B15._

 _For more information on Harry Potter, see B20._

Daphne looked up from reading the story and snorted in amusement. "The Daily Prophet is sure laying it on thick," she said. "Only last week they were calling him the boy who lies. Now he is the Chosen One."

Daphne's father nodded. "The Daily Prophet is attempting to get back in Mr. Potter's good graces. This is momentous news, however," he emphasized.

"What do you mean?" Daphne asked. "Everyone already assumed that Dumbledore was teaching Potter."

"This is different," stressed Jonathan. "Dumbledore is officially recognizing Potter as his apprentice. He is basically telling the world that Potter is the new Dumbledore. He must be incredibly powerful magically for that to happen. It is hard to understate the importance of what Dumbledore just did. He just gave Potter even more power and influence than he already had."

Daphne chewed her lip and nodded, beginning to understand what her father was saying.

Her mother also began to comment on the story. "Whatever truly happened in the Ministry a few nights ago must have convinced Dumbledore to start training Potter. He is obviously impressed by what he has seen from Potter. I wonder if there is any truth to what the Prophet is saying about him – that he is the Chosen One," wondered Anastasia aloud. "It does seem poetic – the defeater of Grindelwald training the boy-who-lived to defeat the greatest dark lord of all time."

"Yes," murmured Jonathan thoughtfully as he rubbed his chin. "Dumbledore obviously knows something about Potter the rest of us do not. This was a calculated move that will have huge political implications. I wonder what else Dumbledore has up his sleeve to capitalize on the disruption this will cause."

Daphne sat back and watched her parents. If they were worried and impressed by the news, then it really was a big deal.

"I don't get it," said Daphne. "Potter has never shown any special potential in any of his classes. He is the middle of the class academically. There are plenty of rumors about his adventures, but there are just that. Rumors."

"I am willing to bet that there is some truth to the rumors," theorized Jonathan. "More than Mr. Potter lets on."

Their conversation was cut off as a horned owl suddenly flew through the open window and landed on the kitchen table with a letter tied to its leg.

"It's from Gringotts," remarked Anastasia in surprise. She reached forward and untied the letter. The owl promptly let out a screech and flew back out the window from where it came.

Anastasia unfolded the letter and began reading. As she did, her face grew paler and paler. Noticing her reaction, her husband grabbed the letter and began reading. His eyes opened in shock and his face grew pale as well.

"What happened?" asked Daphne, slightly worried.

Her father reluctantly handed her the letter, unable to vocalize his thoughts. Daphne began reading.

 _To Miss Daphne Alexis Greengrass,_

 _This letter is to notify you regarding the recent activation of a marriage contract between yourself and the Lord Black. Please visit Gringotts as soon as possible so that we may discuss the contract in more detail._

 _Respectfully,_

 _Irontooth_

 _Greengrass Account Manager_

Daphne dropped the letter in shock. A marriage contract? How was this possible? Why was it activated now?

"Honey," her mother said. "Are you okay?"

"How?" was all she could say. "Who is Lord Black?"

"Wait," her father said suddenly. "Didn't the Prophet say that Sirius Black was killed at the Ministry two days ago? He was the last Black and must have passed the title of Lord Black on to someone else, which is why the contract was suddenly activated."

"Oh no," said Daphne, falling into her chair. A knot began to form in her stomach. "Draco Malfoy is always bragging about how his mother is a Black and how he is in line to be the next Lord Black."

Her mother gasped and put her hand to her mouth. "It can't be!" she exclaimed. "Not the Malfoy boy."

Her father looked like he had just swallowed something sour. "I certainly hope not," he said seriously, "but I don't know of anyone else related to the Blacks that could claim the title."

He looked at Daphne. "Go grab your stuff. We are going to Gringotts right away."

Daphne nodded. She hurried to her room, quickly fixed her hair, and grabbed her shoes. She hurried down the stairs and found her parents standing in front of the fireplace.

"Ready?" asked her mom. Daphne nodded. The family stepped into the large fireplace. Her father threw down a handful of floo powder and yelled, "Gringotts Lobby!"

The three vanished into the green flames. Moments later, they came spinning out of a fireplace in the lobby of Gringotts. Gracefully, they stepped out of the fireplace and walked up to the front counter.

"Hello, we are here to see Irontooth," Jonathan Greengrass said briskly but respectfully. The goblin leaned forward and stared at him.

"Very well, Lord Greengrass," the goblin said. "Irontooth is waiting for you in his office. Please follow me back." He promptly jumped off his stool and quickly led them back to the account manager's office. He opened the door and motioned them inside.

They walked inside and found their account manager, Irontooth, waiting for them.

"Lord Greengrass, Lady Greengrass, Miss Greengrass," Irontooth said as they sat down.

Not wasting any time, Jonathan pulled out the letter they had received from his breast pocket and slammed it on the table. "What is this all about?" he demanded.

"I think the letter was fairly straightforward," Irontooth said sarcastically. "A marriage contract was recently activated between Miss Greengrass and Lord Black."

Suddenly, they heard on the door behind them, which opened to reveal another goblin.

"Ah, Ripfang, come in," said Irontooth. Turning to the Greengrass family, he said, "This is Ripfang, account manager for the Black family. I asked him here to explain more about the contract."

"Of course," said Ripfang. "After speaking with Lord Black yesterday, I had time to peruse the contract a little more. It was enacted in 1683 and signed by the then Lord Greengrass and Lord Black. It was only to be activated if one of the families had no male heirs and the other family had a male born within a year of the oldest female, which is the situation presently. It is a very straightforward contract. As I explained to the Lord Black yesterday, there are no buyouts nor escape clauses. The contract must be executed."

Daphne's face paled when Ripfang mentioned how the other family had to have a male born within a year of the eldest daughter. It was Draco, there was no doubt now. She also knew the consequences of not fulfilling a magical contract.

As she glanced at her parents, she knew they had reached the same conclusion.

"There is no course of action we can take to escape the contract?" asked Jonathan Greengrass desperately.

"No," said Ripfang simply. "You must wed by Lord Black's 18th birthday and he must give the surname of Greengrass to your second son."

Daphne felt sick to her stomach, though she tried to appear composed and in control.

"When is Draco's 18th birthday?" Daphne asked weakly, wanting to know the day her life would end.

"I'm afraid I don't understand your question," Ripfang replied. "I do not know when Draco Malfoy's 18th birthday is. You would have to ask the Malfoy account manager."

"Aren't you his account manager too? He is Lord Black, isn't he?" Daphne asked, confused.

"Draco Malfoy is not Lord Black, Miss Greengrass. His mother was a Black, but there was another individual with a much stronger claim to the lordship of the Black family."

Daphne was shocked. Her parents were shocked as well, but they were doing a better job of hiding it.

"Who is Lord Black then?" Jonathan managed to ask after several moments.

"Lord Hadrian James Potter Black holds the lordship of House Black," Ripfang replied with a smirk.

The room fell completely silent. Daphne could have heard a pin drop. Finally, she managed to overcome her surprise.

"Harry Potter? Harry Potter is Lord Black?" she asked dumbly.

"I believe he goes by Harry Potter Black now," said Ripfang snarkily. "But yes, he is the Lord Black."

Daphne could not believe it. She was betrothed to the bloody boy-who-lived. She did not even know what to think.

"How is that possible?" Anastasia Greengrass spoke up. "I know his grandmother was a Black, but Draco's claim is much better. How is he Lord Black?"

"I am not authorized to discuss the details of Lord Potter Black's family," said Ripfang mysteriously. "Rest assured, however, that Lord Potter Black's claim is much stronger than Mr. Malfoy's. In addition, the Black family magic has already accepted him as the new Lord Black. If you wish to know the details, you will have to ask Lord Potter Black for more information."

Daphne and her parents looked at each other. The goblin was purposely not telling them something, and from the looks of it, it was something important. They needed to speak with Potter.

Irontooth grabbed a stack of papers on his desk and handed it to Daphne. "This is your copy of the contract for your perusal. Gringotts has fulfilled its obligations under the terms of the contract. It is now the responsibility of you and Lord Potter Black to ensure that the contract is executed."

Daphne nodded in shock. In one morning, her whole life had been turned upside down.

She did not even notice as her parents led her out of the office and to the floo in the bank's lobby. Before she knew it, she was back at Greengrass Manor. She sat down on one of the couches in the great room beside her parents.

"Wow," said her father. "Well, look on the bright side. At least you're not engaged to Draco Malfoy. It could be worse."

Daphne shook her head. She did not appreciate her father's attempt at humor.

"Well, I think we know what Dumbledore had up his sleeve," said her mother, referring to their earlier conversation about Harry's apprenticeship. "Potter is now lord of two major houses. This will create a huge power shift in the Wizengamot. Combine that with becoming Dumbledore's apprentice… It's the perfect storm."

"And now, he will forever link the Black and Potter families to the Greengrass family," finished her father. "Merlin's beard."

Daphne just sat there in silence, listening to her parents. She was busy thinking about her future husband, Harry Potter Black. She had so many questions that needed answering. She had seen him around Hogwarts but had never really spoken to him. He was attractive, but she knew next to nothing about him beyond the rumors that were spread about him.

More than anything, she was worried. If nothing else, Daphne Greengrass was ambitious. She had goals and dreams that she had worked hard to achieve. Now, however, she feared she would forever live in the shadow of the great Harry Potter. She could not allow that to happen. If anything, she needed to fit him into her plans. But to do that, she needed to speak to him first.

She turned to her parents. "When can I talk to him?" she asked.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 _Splash!_

Harry awoke suddenly, his face and clothes entirely soaked with water. Confused and extremely annoyed, he sat up quickly and pointed his wand at a figure standing beside the bed.

"Morning, Potter. It's about time you got up. We've got lots to do," growled the figure next to him.

Harry rubbed the water out of his eyes. Next to the bed stood Alastor Moody with a sick grin on his face.

"Ugh," Harry moaned. He turned and looked out the window. "It's still dark out," he complained. "What time is it?"

"Time to start your training," Moody said. "Albus told me to not cut you any slack. I am more than happy to oblige."

Harry groaned again and fell back into his bed. No sooner had his head hit the pillow than he was once again blasted by a stream of water.

Jumping out of bed, he saw Moody had his wand extended. drops of water still dripping from it. Shaking his head in annoyance, he stood up and looked at Moody.

"What do you want me to do, sir?" he growled.

"Put on some athletic shorts, a shirt, and some running shoes, then meet me in the common room. You have 2 minutes!" he ordered.

Hurriedly, Harry ran to his trunk and put on his clothes and hustled down to the common room.

"You made it by 2 seconds," Moody said when he arrived. "Very close. You don't want to know what happens when you're late," he said menacingly. "Follow me."

Without any explanation, he turned and walked out of the common room. Shaking his head in exasperation, Harry followed him. They descended Gryffindor Tower and walked through the main courtyard until they were standing in front of the Black Lake.

"I want two laps around the lake, as fast as you can. And I will know if you're giving less than 100%," Moody said suddenly. "Go!"

Harry hesitated, not wanting to run such a long distance. Suddenly, he jumped in pain as he was hit in the butt by a stinging hex. Needing no more encouragement, he took off at a fast jog.

As he circled the lake for the first time, he felt pretty well. He was breathing steadily but was maintaining a relatively fast pace. However, as he finished the first lap, he began to cramp up. Consequently, he began to slow down. As he passed Moody, however, he was hit with several more stinging hexes.

"No slowing down!" shouted Moody. With a grimace, Harry sped back up to his previous pace. The next several minutes were very painful for Harry, as he struggled to make it around the lake for a second time. Finally, he reached the end of the run. He collapsed to his knees near Moody, struggling for breath.

"Too slow!" exclaimed Moody. "How do you expect to defeat Voldemort if you can barely run around the lake twice?" he taunted. Harry did not take the bait though. He was too exhausted.

"On your hands and knees," shouted Moody once more. He reminded Harry of a drill sergeant in a Muggle military.

Groaning, Harry got on his hands and knees.

"Start doing pushups!" Moody ordered.

"How many?" Harry asked.

"Until you can't do any more," said Moody simply.

Groaning, Harry began his set of pushups. Even with his Quidditch training, it was difficult. After about 30 pushups, his arms began to shake. Several pushups later, his arms gave out, and he fell to the ground. He just lay there, too tired to get up.

"Pathetic!" shouted Moody. "I expect at least 45 tomorrow! Now get on your back and start doing sit-ups until you can't do any more!"

Harry groaned, but obeyed. Two hundred sit-ups later, he lay on his back, staring at the rising sun. His entire body was in pain. Moody stood next to him, chuckling.

"Go shower and get changed. Headmaster wants to see you in the Great Hall in 30 minutes."

Nodding, he slowly got to his feet and gingerly walked back to the castle.

Thirty minutes later, he trudged into the Great Hall. He had showered and dressed, but his whole body still ached. He saw the Headmaster sitting at one of the house tables. Harry strode up and sat across from the Headmaster.

"Ah, Harry!" said Dumbledore happily. "How has your morning been thus far?"

"Refreshing," said Harry simply. He did not want to give Dumbledore the satisfaction of seeing him in pain.

"Fantastic!" he replied. "Eat up! The elves have provided your nutrient potion, so don't forget to take that as well."

Harry nodded and began to dish up. He had worked up quite the appetite during the workout.

As he ate, Dumbledore began to give him instructions.

"Every day, I expect you wake up at 6:00 for a workout with Alastor," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "Those workouts will improve your physical strength and quickness, which will be invaluable in combat. In addition, it should help to strengthen your magical core and increase the potency of your magic. After breakfast, you will study Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, and Potions with Professors Babbling, Vector, and Snape for an hour each. After that, you will have a brief lunch break, followed by hour and a half sessions in Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Moody."

Harry nodded in understanding.

"You will then have dinner with me. After dinner, you will either have lessons with me or time for Occlumency, any assignments given to you by the professors, and self-study. Am I understood?" Dumbledore said.

Harry nodded once more.

"Excellent. Now, were you able to study the account summaries for the Potters, Blacks, and Rosiers?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes, sir."

"And what did you learn?"

Harry thought for a second. "The Potters are heavily invested in several businesses, most notably Sleakeazy's Hair Potion, which was started by my grandfather Charlus. The family also has minority interests in several other companies, including the Nimbus Broom Company. Due to these investments, the family has a strong, steady cash flow. There are also a few real estate properties, including Potter Manor and a few vacation houses spread throughout the country. Total assets add up to over 200 million Galleons."

Dumbledore nodded. "Very good. Potter Manor was partially damaged in the first war, but it has seen been repaired. If we can strengthen the wards, it will be a valuable asset. What about House Black?"

"House Black has a very large number of real estate assets, including Grimmauld Place and Black Manor in Herefordshire. It does not have very many current investments. However, it does have a large amount of liquid assets in the vaults."

Harry continued. "As far as I can tell, there are only two other current members of House Black: Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy. Narcissa has all of her assets in Malfoy vaults. However, it seems that Bellatrix has continued to use her Black family trust vault as her personal vault, even after her marriage."

"That is excellent news," exclaimed Dumbledore. "Because it is a Black vault, you should still have access."

Harry nodded. "Yes, I am planning on withdrawing everything from her accounts and placing it in another Black vault, before disowning her and Narcissa."

Dumbledore nodded in approval. "That should limit the resources that Voldemort has access to."

Harry continued. "In addition, I discovered something interesting. It appears that Nymphadora Tonks is actually a pureblood as well. It appears that her father, Theodore Tonks, is actually a pureblood from an American family. I believe that Andromeda told her family that he was a Muggle in order to get herself disowned and thereby ineligible to fulfil a marriage contract."

Dumbledore chuckled. "How intriguing," he muttered. "Do go on."

"In total, the Blacks have total assets of over 500 million Galleons, much of that coming from their real estate holdings. However, they do have over 150 million in liquid assets in their vaults, including many antiques and artifacts."

"Finally, the Rosier family. Originally, the family is from France but immigrated here in the 16th century. Since that time, they have maintained a very strong import-export business. The business has struggled over the past decade after the death of the last Lord Rosier. However, it is still salvageable and can be brought back to full operations with some management changes and investments. In addition, the Rosiers have significant real estate holdings in France, including chateaus in Paris Nice, Cannes, Toulon, and Marseilles. The import-export business does most of its business with French businesses."

"In total, I have more than a billion Galleons in assets from all three families combined," concluded Harry.

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. "That is very good news, my boy. We have been able to remove a large portion of Voldemort's funding that he depended on during the last war. Unfortunately, he still has access to the Malfoy fortune, but I imagine Lucius will have to spend quite a bit on money to bribe himself out of Azkaban."

Dumbledore continued staring into space, obviously in deep thought. "I will have to think on this further. Meanwhile, I believe that Professor Babbling is waiting for you," he said. With a start, Harry stood up from the table and exited the Great Hall. He made his way up to the runes classroom, where he had only been once before. He used the Marauder's Map to guide him; if not for the map, he would have been hopelessly lost.

Finally, he arrived at the classroom. He entered to find Professor Babbling seated at her desk at the front of the classroom.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, do come in," Professor Babbling said when she noticed Harry. "Take a seat," she said, motioning to a desk in front of her own, where Harry promptly sat down.

"The Headmaster has asked that I give you a crash course in Runes. Undoubtedly, now that you are Dumbledore's apprentice, he wishes you to be well-versed in all aspects of magic. Runes are one of the most important aspects of magic, especially in modern times. Unfortunately, you decided to not take Ancient Runes as one of your electives. However, we will strive to correct that error promptly," she began.

"Now, tell me, what do you know about runes?" she asked.

Harry thought for a second before responding. "Runes are magical symbols that can cause different reactions," he said, proud of his answer.

"You are on the right track, but ultimately incorrect," replied Professor Babbling. "Runes are symbols, but they are inherently magical. Runes are written languages that describe magical phenomena," she explained. "The symbols that we call runes do have specific arithmantic properties that can produce specific outcomes, as I am sure you will discover with Professor Vector. However, the runes themselves are not automatically magical. They must be imbued with magical energy in order for them to have any effect. Imagine a Muggle with a wand. They can speak the incantations for any spell, but without any magical power, nothing happens. It is the same with runes. If we do not put any magical energy into the runes, nothing happens. In fact, Muggles have actually incorporated many runes into their mundane alphabets. Without magic, however, the runes are mere lines on the paper."

Harry nodded and began diligently taking notes on the parchment that he had brought.

"Runes are one of the most used branches of magic today," continued the professor. "Because they can store magical energy, runes can operate for extremely long periods of time, as long as they have enough magic powering them. Contrast that with magic done with a wand, which lasts for much shorter periods of time, because the witch or wizard does not keep fueling the charm, transfiguration or spell. For that reason, runes are extremely practical."

"Many different systems and languages of runes exist, including ancient Egyptian, ancient Norse, and our own Latin system. Those are the three main languages we will cover. As you progress in your studies, you will learn new runic languages, such as Greek, Russian, and numerous eastern languages."

Harry nodded, completely understanding what the teacher was saying.

"Today, we will be covering the Latin runic alphabet, which is the most commonly used alphabet in magical Britain," said Babbling. She waved her wand and levitated a large banner into the air until it stuck against the wall. It was covered with different runes and runic clusters.

For the next 30 minutes, Babbling pointed to each rune and explained the meaning and effect of each rune. To his surprise, many of the runes actually existed in the English alphabet, although they had very different meanings.

After they had covered the entire Latin runic alphabet, it seemed like a lightbulb had gone off in Harry's mind.

"Professor, if I combined the X, K, and A runes, would that cause an object to levitate and then stop at a certain height?" he asked.

Professor Babbling looked at him in surprise. "Very good!" she exclaimed. "That is exactly what would happen. You would have to add other runes to specify the height, but yes. You are picking this up very quickly!"

She then proceeded to quiz him on the meaning of specific rune clusters. Harry had to think about it for a second, but after thinking, the answer always came. It was as Dumbledore had theorized – due to the absorption of the soul fragment, he would learn new information very quickly. It felt like Harry had already learned about these runes as a child and had forgotten but was now remembering what he had forgotten.

By the end of the lesson, Professor Babbling was very impressed. She gave him an assignment to complete that night to identify a series of complicated rune clusters.

Thanking the professor, Harry hustled out of the room and towards the arithmancy classroom. When he arrived, Professor Vector was seated near the door, waiting for him. She was an attractive witch in her early 30's with dark, black hair. However, she was known for her strict demeanor. Many students at Hogwarts referred to her as a "younger McGonagall."

"You are here," she said as Harry entered the room. "Sit down, we have much to cover."

Not arguing, Harry sat down, pulled out his quill and parchment, and waited for her to begin.

"Many people believe that arithmancy is the study of magical numbers, a magical form of Muggle mathematics. That is false. While arithmancy does involve magical numbers, it is much more than that. Arithmancy is the study of magical properties," she explained.

"Magical properties of what?" Harry inquired.

"Everything," she answered simply. "Runes, potion ingredients, magical plants, wands, and even spells. The laws of arithmancy determine why certain spells require certain wand movements in order to function and why certain runes cause certain reactions. For that reason, arithmancy is an essential element in runes, warding, and spell creation."

For the next hour, Harry listened as she explained basic magical theory – what magic is, how it moves and flows, and how it interacts with matter. Harry found it fascinating – he wondered why he hadn't learned this years ago.

"Magical theory is the foundation for all arithmancy," she concluded at the end of the lesson. "A solid understanding of magical theory will help you in your spellwork as well, especially charms and transfiguration. We will continue with magical theory tomorrow. Tonight, I want you to read the two chapters in the textbook about magical theory in the branch of transfiguration."

Harry nodded as he packed up his belongings. He rushed out the door, determined not to be late for the lesson he was most dreading – potions. He arrived in the dungeons with a minute to spare. Composing himself, he knocked on the door. He heard a snarky voice instructing him to come in. He opened the door, walked to the front row, and sat down.

Snape sat at his desk, eyeing his most hated student.

"You are here because the Headmaster asked me to teach you, not because I want to," began Snape as he sneered at Harry. "He is convinced that you have somehow changed from earlier in the school year. While I doubt that, I expect nothing short of excellence from you. Up to this point, you have displayed nothing but ineptitude for the subject of potions. However, I expect that to change. I will not have a repeat of our Occlumency lessons."

Harry nodded, while clearing his mind. He was determined to succeed, and he did not want his emotions distracting him.

Snape nodded in approval as he noticed Harry clearing his mind. "Today you will be preparing the Pepper Up Potion, something that you have done in the past. However, as you prepare the potion, you are to explain to me why you are completing each step, and how the ingredients react to one another.

Harry nodded, surprised at the change in Snape's teaching method. He went to the ingredients cabinet and gathered the ingredients he would need.

Over the next hour, he prepared the potion. Snape constantly badgered him with questions, asking about everything from the properties of the ingredients to the method of preparing them. He struggled in the beginning. He had never really studied or understood the theory behind potions. He had just followed the instructions that Snape put on the board.

After a few wrong answers, Harry began to pick up understand a little bit better. Towards the end of the lesson, he had even discovered better ways to prepare the ingredients, such as crushing a bean instead of dicing it.

To his shock, the final product was exactly like the recipe described. Even Snape looked somewhat shocked.

"Acceptable," he sneered. "But acceptable is not enough for Dumbledore's celebrity apprentice. I expect better tomorrow. Tonight, read the first five chapters of 1001 Magical Ingredients. It is clear that you lack basic understanding of common potion ingredients and theory. It is no wonder you have failed so spectacularly thus far."

Harry just sat there, taking the criticism. He would not allow himself to take the bait.

"You are dismissed," Snape said. Eagerly, Harry grabbed his things and shuffled out the door. He headed back to the Great Hall, starving for another meal. He found Dumbledore there waiting for him.

"How were your lessons?" Dumbledore inquired when Harry sat down.

"Interesting," Harry admitted. "I wish I would have taken Ancient Runes and Arithmancy back in third year. They really help to explain a lot of questions I have always had about magic."

"And how was potions with Professor Snape?" the headmaster asked.

"It actually went well," confessed Harry. "I learned a lot. But I also learned exactly what I don't know. I know what I need to study now."

"Very good," Dumbledore said. He pulled a letter out of his robes and placed it on the table in front of Harry. "We have something of importance to discuss."

Harry picked up the letter and scanned it over.

 _Lord Potter Black,_

 _We have recently been notified regarding the activation of a marriage contract between yourself and our eldest daughter, Daphne Alexis. We would like to invite you for dinner at Greengrass Manor, two weeks from today at 6 o'clock in the evening, in order for you and Daphne to be become acquainted. Kindly RSVP via owl. We look forward to meeting you._

 _Best,_

 _Lord Jonathan Greengrass_

 _Lady Anastasia Greengrass_

After reading the letter, Harry looked up at Dumbledore.

"At least I have two weeks to prepare," he said, chuckling.

"Indeed. However, there is much to learn and prepare in those two weeks. You must thoroughly understand the history of the Greengrass family and its political stance before then," said Dumbledore.

The pair continued eating, with Dumbledore quizzing Harry on what he had learned throughout the meal. When they finished, Harry headed up to the transfiguration classroom for his lesson with Professor McGonagall.

"Welcome, Mr. Potter," said the professor with a stern smile. "First, I would like to congratulate you on your recent apprenticeship with Headmaster Dumbledore."

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said, nodding his head in thanks.

"Now, onto transfiguration," said McGonagall. "Up until now, you have shown talent for transfiguration, but not as much as I had originally hoped," she admitted. "I believe you have not been achieving your true potential. The Headmaster has attempted to convince me that you have undergone some significant changes with your magic, and that he expects that you will be much more successful now. I have yet to be convinced."

Harry nodded and cleared his mind once again as he prepared for the lesson.

McGonagall continued. "To start, you will be completing every transfiguration that you have learned over the last five years in my class, starting with this," she said as she placed a matchstick on his desk. Harry smiled as he remembered his first transfiguration in which he had attempted to change a matchstick into a desk.

Harry quickly transfigured the matchstick and moved onto the next transfiguration. One by one, he completed each one, moving from simple to complex inanimate objects to animate transfigurations. He was surprised to see how easy he was completing each task.

Even transfigurations that he had struggled with a few months earlier now seemed simple to him. Finally, they reached the end of the transfigurations that he had already learned.

"Well, it seems as if you did inherit your father's talent for transfiguration after all," exclaimed McGonagall in shock after he finished. "The Headmaster was correct. Whatever happened to you recently did affect your magic. But not only your magic – your concentration too!"

The stern witch seemed to be very excited at seeing Harry's success.

"Very well," she began. "There are a few more transfigurations that I would like you to complete."

She gave him a list of several more complicated inanimate-to-animate transfigurations. He had never attempted these transfigurations before. However, before each attempt, he took a deep breath, cleared his mind, and brought up the basic Occlumency shields he had been working on. Each time, he was able to complete the transfiguration without any difficulty.

"Fantastic!" exclaimed McGonagall in glee.

"What, Professor?" asked Harry.

"You just completed every single transfiguration from the sixth-year curriculum," revealed McGonagall.

Harry's eyes widened in shock. It was just another example of his latent abilities from the soul fragment coming to light.

McGonagall glanced at her watch. "We are out of time, it appears," she said. "I will think more tonight on how to proceed in our lessons. However, I think that we can move onto conjurations now. Very well done," she concluded.

Harry thanked her for her time and headed towards the charms classroom for his lesson with Professor Flitwick.

His lesson with Flitwick went almost exactly the same as his transfiguration lesson. Flitwick had Harry perform every single charm that he had learned from first year through fifth year. Just as before, Harry passed with flying colors.

Then, they moved onto the sixth-year curriculum. Flitwick would demonstrate the incantation and wand movement for each charm, after which Harry would perform each charm on his first try.

"Stupendous!" the half-goblin declared at the end. "Absolutely stupendous! You are definitely your mother's son," he declared, echoing McGonagall's earlier words. "Over the rest of the summer, we will focus on expanding your already growing repertoire of charms. However, we will also focus on applying charms to dueling and combat. I was a dueling champion in my younger years, and I believe that I can teach you a thing or two."

"That sounds fantastic," Harry said. With a wave, he left and headed to his last lesson of the day, defense against the dark arts with Moody.

As he arrived, he saw the door open, so he decided to walk in. After a few steps into the classroom, he saw a bolt of red light coming at him from his left side. He threw himself to the side as the bolt passed within centimeters of him. Three more spells came hurtling towards him. He managed to dodge the first two, but the first impacted him square on the chest. He fell to the ground, unconscious.

He awoke to a grinning Moody standing over him.

"Constant vigilance!" Moody shouted. "First lesson: know how to dodge!"

Harry shook his head at Moody's unconventional teaching methods.

"Now get up boy!" Moody barked. "You've got more dodging to do!" He motioned towards the other side of the classroom, where three dummies stood.

"These are the same dummies that we use in auror training," Moody explained. "They will be shooting low-powered stinging hexes at you while you dodge them. Now move!" he shouted. Just then, the dummies began firing spells. Harry began dodging as best as he could, but he managed to be hit by several.

"Proper stance!" Moody shouted from the sideline. "Stand at a 90-degree angle to your opponent – shoulder towards him! Give him the smallest target possible!"

Harry followed Moody's advice and was able to be hit by less hexes.

"Wand foot slightly in front of the other! Legs slightly bent!" Moody instructed. "When you dodge, move as little as possible. Just enough to avoid the spell. Don't want to lose your center of balance!"

Harry tried to apply Moody's advice. After what seemed like forever, Harry was able to avoid every single one of the hexes for several minutes. Finally, Moody shut off the dummies.

"Acceptable," growled Moody as Harry turned to face him. "Dodging is one of the foundations of combat and dueling. If you don't know how to dodge, you will waste energy on shields and countercurses. In combat and dueling, energy is the name of the game. Often, if two opponents are evenly matched, it is who runs out of energy, both physical and magical, that loses the fight."

"Tomorrow, I expect better," warned Moody, gesturing towards the dummies. "Today I left the dummies on easy mode. Tomorrow, we will turn it up a notch," he said with a grisly smile.

Harry unconsciously rubbed the parts of his body where he had been repeatedly hit with stinging hexes. He was not looking forward to being hit again.

With those parting words, Moody turned around and limped back to his office. Accustomed to Moody's quirky personality, Harry recognized the dismissal and left the classroom. He headed down to the Great Hall for dinner with Dumbledore, where he was once again peppered with questions about what he had learned.

Finally, he headed back to Gryffindor Tower, mentally, physically, and magically exhausted. When he arrived at the common room, he collapsed onto the couch, ready to relax. Just when he was ready to doze off, he remembered all of the assignments he had to complete before lessons the following day. Groaning, he pulled himself off the couch and dragged himself to a table, where he began reading the numerous chapters assigned to him.

Hours later, he finally finished. He had learned a lot about runes, magical theory, and potion theory, but he had hardly been able to keep his eyes open towards the end. He closed the final textbook with a sigh as he remembered one last assignment he had to complete: occlumency.

He sat back in his chair, closed his eyes, and cleared his mind of all thoughts and emotions. In his mind, he also imagined himself bringing up walls around himself. Those walls represented basic Occlumency shields. They were the first baby steps to creating an airtight defense, but he was happy with his progress so far. After several minutes practicing bringing up his shields, he headed up to his dormitory, exhausted. He had survived his first day of training but was excited for the next day. When he finally lay down on his bed, he was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

* * *

Miles away, a blonde Slytherin lay in her bed, unable to fall asleep. She had been tossing and turning for over an hour, with no success. She had too much on her mind to sleep. Rather, she had one person in particular on her mind: her future husband, Harry Potter Black.

Ever since she had learned about the existence of the marriage contract, her thoughts had been dominated by Harry. She wanted to know who he was, who he wanted to become, what his plans for the future were, and what his plans for her were. Most importantly, she wanted to know how he would fit into her own plans.

Daphne Greengrass had always had a plan for her life. Born the eldest daughter of the Greengrass family, she had been raised to one day take over the family business. For centuries, the Greengrass family had run a very lucrative potions ingredients business. Many of the rarest potions ingredients were grown only by the Greengrass family, leading to very high profits for the business.

Daphne had always planned to take over the business, but she wanted more than that. She was extremely intelligent and wanted to take advantage of that. She had plans to become a potions mistress by earning her mastery in potions soon after graduating from Hogwarts, which would allow her to expand and grow the family business. Ultimately, however, she planned to take her father's seat on the Wizengamot. With her family's increased wealth, she hoped to make a name for herself in the political arena and perhaps, one day, even become Minister of Magic.

This marriage contract, however, threw all of her plans into question. Harry Potter was a huge variable in her plans. From what she had seen at Hogwarts, he seemed to be an average teenage boy with a habit of getting into trouble. He also had a penchant for staying in the spotlight, whether he intended to or not. Her greatest fear was that she would always remain in his shadow. Instead of being known as Daphne Greengrass, she would merely be known as Harry Potter's wife.

She hoped that the marriage would turn out well. It was a foolish dream, but she also wondered if she could ever grow to love Potter. If that was not the case and it became a loveless marriage, she hoped to be able to use his influence to further her own career.

Now, she needed to find out everything she could about him. She knew was now the lord of House Potter and House Black, meaning that he was extremely wealthy. She knew he spent most of his time with Weasley and Granger, and that he was a talented Seeker. Outside of that, she had only heard rumors. She had heard rumors about the disappearance of Quirrell, of Harry's adventure in the Chamber of Secrets, and his secret organization, Dumbledore's Army. She needed to separate fact from fiction, however.

Her father had invited Harry for dinner in two weeks' time. She was anxious, yet excited, to finally speak with him. Until then, she needed to do some digging into who her future husband really was…


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The next morning, Harry woke up bright and early. Thankfully, Moody had allowed Harry to wake up on his own instead of dowsing him with water while still asleep.

He headed down to the lake, where he once again completed two laps around the lake, followed by pushups and sit-ups to failure. If it was possible, he hurt even more than the previous day. When he began his run, his muscles screamed at him to stop. He was so sore, he didn't know if he could continue. After a few minutes, his muscles warmed up and he was able to complete the exercises, performing slightly better than the previous day.

When he arrived at the Great Hall for breakfast, he found it empty. Shrugging his shoulders, he sat down and called one of the Hogwarts elves, who promptly brought him breakfast and his nutrient potion. While he ate, he read from the numerous books assigned to him by his professors.

 _I'm turning into Hermione,_ he thought to himself with a chuckle.

He quickly finished his breakfast and headed to the runes classroom, eager to begin the day's lessons…

Hours later, he trudged down to the Great Hall for dinner, exhausted after another day of classes. He continued to excel in every class. In Ancient Runes, he continued to impress Professor Babbling. They had already moved onto complex rune clusters and larger rune configurations. She was proud of his progress and confided in him that he might be able to finish the OWL material before the school year began.

In Arithmancy, he continued to learn more about the theory of magic. He easily grasped the concepts that Professor Vector taught and looked forward to applying them in his spellwork.

He continued to surprise Snape in his potions lesson. Harry managed to perfectly brew a Draught of Peace while conversing with Snape about the effects of the different ingredients. When he was finished, Snape could not even find a flaw to point out. He merely said, "This quality of work will be expecting from you at all times. Do not slip back into bad habits." Harry nodded and tried to hide his grin at being able to impress Snape.

In transfiguration, he began his study of conjuration, which was only part of the seventh-year curriculum. He took to it like a fish in water, which astounded Professor McGonagall even more. Conjuration, he learned, was very exhausting magically. The heavier or more complex the conjured object, the more magical energy it required. Harry was finally able to test the limits of his newly expanded magical core. He was able to perform conjuration after conjuration without exhausting himself, something that left McGonagall in shock.

In charms, he began dueling with Professor Flitwick. The tiny professor would only allow him to use charms from first and second year with no spells or transfigurations. This forced him to think creatively about his environment and how to use even simple charms in different ways during combat.

Moody continued to test his dodging abilities by increasing the speed of the dueling dummies. Harry struggled at first with the new speed but was soon able to adapt. It seemed that Moody would not be teaching Harry any new spells until he was satisfied with his footwork, stance, and ability to dodge.

When Harry finally arrived in the Great Hall after his lessons, he found Dumbledore waiting for him. Harry sat down in his usual seat across from the Headmaster and began to dish up.

"Hello, Harry," said Dumbledore. "How were lessons today?"

"They went well," Harry said between bites. "I can tell that I am improving a lot."

"Indeed," remarked Dumbledore. "I have spoken with each of your professors, and they are all astounded by your progress, even Severus," he said chuckling. "Professor Babbling thinks you are a runes prodigy due to the speed at which you are interpreting rune configurations. Professor Snape is highly surprised by your improvement in potions, although he attributes that to you finally learning basic theories about ingredients and potion making techniques. Professors McGonagall and Flitwick are both convinced that you have inherited your mother's and father's talent for transfiguration and charms, although I am sure you will end up outperforming both of them. And finally, Professor Moody is impressed by your improvement in dodging."

Harry nodded, proud of himself and his achievements over the past two days.

"It seems that you are finally living up to your full potential," commented Dumbledore. "Now that I know what you are truly capable of, I expect nothing less," he reaffirmed.

"Tonight, I wish you to join me in my office. We have a few matters of importance to discuss."

Harry agreed and hurried to finish his supper and nutrient potion. When he was finished, he stood up and followed Dumbledore back to his office. As they entered, the headmaster sat behind his desk while Harry sat in his usual seat in front of the desk.

"First, I wish to inquire about the status of Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy," said Dumbledore. "Have you disowned them from House Black yet?"

Harry shook his head. "Not yet. I have not had time."

Dumbledore gave Harry a disapproving look. "Take care of that tonight. Notify Gringotts and transfer the contents of Bellatrix's vault, then use the family magic to disown them. Every day we wait is another day Voldemort has access to those resources.

Harry nodded, sufficiently chastised. "I will get that done immediately," he said.

"Good," said Dumbledore. "Now, I also wish to address the Greengrass situation." He pulled a book from the bookshelf behind his desk and handed it to Harry.

Harry glanced at its title: _Wizarding Nobility: A History of the Sacred 28._

"I expect you to read the section on the Greengrass family. In addition, over the next two weeks, I expect you to go through every bill passed in the Wizengamot over the past 10 years to see how Lord Greengrass voted each time. This will enable you to understand his political stance and beliefs."

Harry nodded, overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of the task. Sensing Harry's hesitance, Dumbledore continued.

"These people will soon become your family," he said. "It is important to know who you will be getting involved with."

"Okay, I will make it a priority," promised Harry.

"Very good," said Dumbledore. "Now that we have those housekeeping items out of the way, I wish to have a serious discussion with you."

Harry sat up in his chair, uncertain what the headmaster wanted to talk about.

"What are your goals, Harry?" Dumbledore asked vaguely.

"To kill Voldemort," Harry said without hesitation.

"Something that I am confident you will achieve," Dumbledore replied. "But after that, what do you hope to accomplish? What will you do when Voldemort is gone forever?"

Harry sat back in thought. He hadn't really considered that. All of his thoughts had been centered on his eventual fight with Voldemort, and he had never thought beyond that.

"I am not sure, sir. I never really thought about life after Voldemort," Harry admitted.

"I thought as much," remarked Dumbledore. "After seeing your remarkable progress in the last few days, I have grown hopeful and even confident that you will be able to defeat the Dark Lord eventually. However, you are capable of much more than that. If you do not have a plan or goals, though, it is unlikely that you will accomplish anything."

Harry continued to think. Finally, an idea came to him. "I want to change the world," he said simply.

"So, you desire power?" asked Dumbledore frankly.

"No!" replied Harry quickly, to which Dumbledore raised an eyebrow in doubt. "I mean, maybe. But I want to use the power to make the world a better place," Harry clarified.

"So, you want to be powerful and make the world a better place," summarized Dumbledore. "A worthy goal. But how will you achieve that? What changes will you make?" questioned the headmaster. "And how does Miss Greengrass fit into those plans?"

Harry was stumped. He had never thought about specifics like that. "I honestly don't know, sir," he said.

"Then that is your new project," replied Dumbledore. "Think about what is wrong with our world and how you want to change it. Come up with a specific plan with specific goals. When you have that formulated, discuss it with me and I will see what I can do to help."

Harry nodded, already thinking about it.

Dumbledore chuckled and spoke again. "You remind me a little bit of myself when I was your age," he admitted. "You are a much better man than I ever was – unselfish, caring, loyal. But you are ambitious as I was. I wanted to change the world as well – for the greater good. But if I have learned nothing else during my long years, it is this: do not lose sight of who you are in pursuit of your goals."

Harry nodded, but inwardly, he was confused. _What if I don't even know who I am?_ he thought to himself.

"Now, I wish to evaluate your burgeoning Occlumency and Legilimency skills," Dumbledore said. "Bring up your Occlumency shields and I will test them."

Nodding, Harry took a deep breath, cleared his mind, and brought up his shields. Soon, he felt a strange pressure on his shields. It felt almost as if someone was physically pushing on his head. He pushed back, alleviating the pressure. Soon after, he felt another pressure point at another place. He quickly pushed back there, at which point the pressure suddenly shifted to a new spot and managed to break through his shields.

Harry suddenly opened his eyes, gasping for breath after his exertion.

"That was a good start," said Dumbledore while Harry recovered. "You were able to repel my first two attacks, but on my third attack, I was able to find a weak spot in your shields. You were also distracted, which allowed me to break through."

Harry nodded in understanding.

"Now, you must continue to strengthen your shields and continue adding new layers of shields. In addition, you must continue to practice repelling Legilimency attacks. Each time you do so, it will become easier and easier."

"Now, I wish to test your Legilimency skills. With your wand, perform the _legilimens_ spell and attempt to break through my mind shields," instructed Dumbledore.

Harry gripped his wand and murmured, "Legilimens!" Instantly, he found himself facing a steel wall. With his mind, he pushed against the wall, only to encounter stiff resistance. He moved to another part of the wall, where he pushed again to no effect. Finally, he moved to a third part, where he rammed against the wall as hard as he could. To his surprise, the wall collapsed, allowing him to move even deeper. However, he was shocked as he soon found another steel wall awaiting him.

Suddenly, he felt a force pushing against him, and he found himself thrown out of Dumbledore's mind. He opened his eyes to see the headmaster smiling at him.

"Well done," Dumbledore said. "You were able to break through my first wall. As I am sure you noticed, however, I have many layers of defenses."

Harry nodded. "How did you push me out of your mind?" he asked.

"Ah, that is a technique you will learn in the future," Dumbledore said mysteriously. "It seems you have a talent for Legilimency. As you know, however, you can perform basic legilimency without a wand. You can scan the surface thoughts and emotions of those who do not have Occlumency shields. This is what we will begin working on, starting tomorrow. It is a very useful tool. It has saved my life on several occasions by alerting me when someone was about to attack me."

Harry nodded, excited to learn this new technique.

"That is it for tonight," said Dumbledore. "Do not forget to take care of that family business and study about the Greengrass family."

"I understand," said Harry. He rose to his feet and headed back to his dorm, where he spent the rest of the night studying.

* * *

The next two weeks passed in a similar fashion. Harry awoke early each morning and spent the day learning and training. He continued to make leaps and bounds in each subject, particularly runes, charms, transfiguration, and defense against the dark arts. In fact, McGonagall, Flitwick, and Moody were confident that Harry would be able to take the NEWT in their subjects before the start of school.

His dueling ability had improved immensely. Every day, he participated in mini duels with Moody, McGonagall, and Flitwick. With McGonagall and Flitwick, he was only permitted to use transfiguration or charms, which forced him to think creatively about his strategy.

His Legilimency and Occlumency abilities improved as well. Every meal and every night, he would practice reading Dumbledore's surface thoughts. After two weeks, he had reached the point where Dumbledore could not even sense his touch if he lowered his Occlumency shields.

Harry had also done a fair amount of research into the Greengrass family. He was very familiar with their potions ingredients business. He knew that they had a total monopoly on certain ingredients, which allowed them to charge a fortune and make a pretty profit. Harry had also researched all of Lord Greengrass's votes on the Wizengamot. He seemed to be a moderate. He often voted for laws maintaining pureblood rights, but he often voted for bills that would support minorities. It seemed to Harry that he believed in the old traditions but recognized the need for change and progress as well.

Finally, the time came for Harry to visit Greengrass Manor. He sat in Dumbledore's office, dressed in an expensive Armani suit that he had ordered from Italy particularly for this occasion. Dumbledore was giving him some final pieces of advice before he departed.

"Remember, we are going for the shock and awe," said Dumbledore. "You need to impress them, but also leave them realizing how much you don't know."

Harry nodded in understanding.

"Feel free to tell them about your mother's heritage, as they will undoubtedly be curious about that. However, do not let them know that you hold the Rosier and Peverell lordships. You can hint that you hold additional lordships, but do not give them specifics."

"Also, do not give them too much information about yourself. They will ask about your apprenticeship and your plans for the future, but do not give specific answers. Stay away from politics and other complicated issues. We will deal with those in the future."

"What about Daphne?" Harry asked.

"Miss Greengrass is a very intelligent, beautiful, and ambitious girl. I am confident that she has her own plans for you and for the future. She will certainly try to discover new information about you. I know you would like to impress her but be careful with how much you tell her initially.

Harry nodded, still a little uncomfortable with participating in this complicated game of politics.

"I am sure that you will perform spectacularly," Dumbledore said. "Just relax and clear your mind."

Harry took a deep breath and reinforced his Occlumency shields. He gave Dumbledore a smirk, which Dumbledore returned with an approving smile.

He strode forward to Dumbledore's fireplace. He grabbed a handful of floo powder and yelled, "Greengrass Manor!"

* * *

Daphne sat in the great room at Greengrass Manor, anxiously awaiting Potter's arrival. She wore a light blue summer dress with spaghetti straps. She knew her outfit was a little risqué, especially for a semi-formal dinner, but it was a risk she was willing to take. Her dress showed just enough skin to attract attention, but not enough to be inappropriate. She had specifically chosen this dress because it highlighted her curves and showed off her lightly tanned skin. She hoped that by the end of the night, Potter would be eating out of her hand.

Next to her on the couch in the great room sat her mother, Anastasia, and her younger sister, Astoria. They both wore summer dresses as well, though neither as revealing as Daphne's. Her mother glanced at Daphne's dress then gave her a knowing smirk, as if she knew exactly what Daphne was trying to achieve.

Meanwhile, her father, Jonathan, stood in the entrance hall near the floo, waiting for Potter to arrive. Just as the clock hit six o'clock, Daphne heard the roar of flames come from the entrance hall. She heard her father's voice as he greeted Potter.

"Lord Potter Black, thank you for coming. Welcome to Greengrass Manor," her father said.

"Thank you, Lord Greengrass. I appreciate your hospitality. You have a beautiful home," Potter replied.

Daphne tensed up as she heard Potter's voice. She had been preparing for this moment for two weeks, but now that it was here, she felt totally unprepared. Suddenly, she felt her mother's hand on her knee. She looked over to see her mother smiling gently, trying to calm her nerves.

"If you would follow me, I will introduce you to the rest of the family," said her father from the entrance hall. She heard footsteps coming her way. Simultaneously, the three girls stood up from the couch and waited for Potter to enter the room.

When Potter finally appeared in the doorway, Daphne was shocked. He looked completely different from the Harry Potter she had seen at Hogwarts only a month earlier. There were so many changes, she did not know where to begin.

The first thing she noticed were his eyes. No longer was he wearing those ridiculous glasses. Now, it was much easier to see his glowing green eyes that were staring right at her.

His hair was also different. Potter was known for his wild, messy, untamed hair, a classic trait of the Potter family. Tonight, though, his hair was different. He had used a gel or hair product to make his hair lay flat, which he had combed to the side.

In addition, it seemed as if Potter had grown several inches and had put on a lot of muscle in the few weeks since Daphne had last seen him. He now stood several inches over her and no longer looked like the skinny, frail teenager she was accustomed to. He looked strong, muscular, and even powerful.

The final change that caught her eye was Potter's outfit. Usually, Potter dressed in baggy, old clothes. In fact, Potter's choice of clothing was often joked about in the Slytherin common room. However, tonight he was wearing a Muggle suit that looked very expensive. If she was not mistaken, the suit was from a famous Italian fashion designer. The suit fit him perfectly and was complemented by his fashionable tie that was perfectly tied. As he stepped into the room, he adjusted the sleeves of his shirt and jacket, subtly drawing even more attention to his outfit. Daphne couldn't lie, he looked quite attractive in the suit.

"May I introduce you to my lovely wife, Anastasia?" said her father, gesturing to Daphne's mother.

Harry, in proper pureblood fashion, gently kissed the back of her mother's hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady," he said as he gave her a dashing smile.

"This is my youngest daughter, Astoria, who just completed her third year at Hogwarts," continued her father.

Harry approached Astoria and kissed the back of her hand as well. "It is an honor, my lady," he said smoothly. Astoria smiled and blushed, a little embarrassed by the compliment.

Finally, her father arrived at her. "And this, as you well know, is my eldest daughter, Daphne."

Harry came and stood before her, staring intently into her eyes. He gently grasped her hand and lightly kissed the back of her hand as well. As he did so, Daphne could feel her own pulse racing. However, instead of saying something as he had to her mother and sister, he merely smirked at her, almost as if he could sense her nervousness.

"You have a lovely family," Harry said smoothly as he turned back to Daphne's father.

"Thank you for your kindness," her father replied. "And now, I believe that dinner is ready. If you would follow me to the dining room, we will get started."

Harry merely nodded and gestured for her father to lead the way. However, instead of following immediately, he also gestured for Daphne, Astoria, and Anastasia to go before him.

"Ladies first," he explained. Smiling, Astoria and her mother followed Jonathan out of the room, with Daphne picking up the rear. Harry followed closely behind Daphne. She could feel his eyes on the back of her neck, and that set her pulse racing once more.

 _Control yourself,_ she thought to herself. _Stick to the plan. You're the one in control, not him._

They soon arrived at the dining room, where the table was set with expensive dishes. Her father and mother sat at the heads of the table, while Astoria sat next to her mother. Daphne moved to sit next to her sister. As she did so, Harry politely pulled out her chair for her, waiting for her to sit down. She was initially surprised, but quickly hid her shock and sat down. Harry pushed in her chair as she sat down, then calmly walked to his seat on the other side of the table, directly across from Daphne. He gave her a gentle smile as he sat down.

The house elves arrived with plates of food, placing them in front of each person. They began to eat in silence initially. Finally, Daphne's father spoke up.

"Lord Potter Black, I was hoping you could clarify a few questions that I have," he began.

"Of course," Harry said, nodding politely.

"How was it that you became the Lord Black? We were all pleasantly surprised when we learned that you had taken up the title because we had assumed that other individuals were next in line to inherit the title."

Harry finished chewing his food before responding. "That is understandable. My godfather, the previous Lord Black, left me the title of Lord Black after he passed away recently. However, even if he had not done that, I was still next in line to become Lord Black based off of blood alone."

The room went silent as the Greengrass family processed the bombshells that he had just casually dropped. The previous Lord Black was the infamous Sirius Black. If Sirius had left Harry the title of Lord Black, it meant that Harry most likely had been in contact with him before his death. If that was the case, it likely meant that he had not actually betrayed the Potters.

More interestingly, however, was Harry's revelation that he was next in line to become Lord Black based off his blood.

"If you don't mind me asking, how were you next in line?" inquired Daphne's father politely. "If I am not mistaken, your father's mother was a Black, but there are other individuals that are much more closely related to the Black family. In addition, I was under the belief that the family magic only accepted purebloods as Lord Black, and you are a half blood."

Harry chuckled for a second, and Daphne worried that he had been offended by her father's questioning. "That is a common misconception," he said with a smile.

"What is a misconception?" asked Daphne suddenly.

Harry's eyes turned to meet her baby blue eyes.

"That I am a half blood," he said simply.

Daphne's eyes widened in shock at his revelation. "But your mother was a Muggleborn, wasn't she?" Daphne asked.

Harry shook his head softly. "Muggle raised, but not Muggleborn," he clarified.

"Then who were your mother's parents, if I might ask?" her father inquired.

A smirk grew on Harry's face as he explained. "My grandfather was Alphard Black, and my grandmother was Violetta Rosier."

Daphne's mouth hung open in shock. Her parents and sister were experiencing similar reactions.

"How is that possible?" Daphne's mother finally managed to ask.

Harry calmly took another bite of soup before responding. "My grandparents fell in love while at Hogwarts. However, due to the feud between the Black and Rosier families, they were forced to keep it a secret. After they graduated, they secretly traveled the world together. During this time, my grandmother became pregnant and my mother was born. Unfortunately, my grandmother died while giving birth, leaving my grandfather alone with the baby. Knowing that my mother would never be accepted by the family, he gave her to a Muggle family to be raised."

Daphne's father nodded in understanding. "So that is how you became Lord Black," he said. "Your mother was a Black, your grandmother on your father's side was a Black, and your godfather was Lord Black."

"Precisely," said Harry simply as he continued eating.

Daphne was in shock. Her future husband, Harry Potter, was actually a pureblood. His mother was a Black, and his grandmother was a Rosier. She could not believe it. However, she knew that Harry was still keeping secrets.

They continued eating in silence for a few minutes until Daphne's mother spoke up. "Lord Potter Black, congratulations on your apprenticeship with Chief Warlock Dumbledore," she said, attempting to change the topic of conversation.

"Thank you, my lady," said Harry politely.

"How has your apprenticeship been so far?" Anastasia inquired.

"It has been very challenging, but very rewarding," said Harry cryptically. "Professor Dumbledore is a very demanding teacher. I have learned a lot."

Daphne continued to stare at him, wondering how much he wasn't telling them. She wondered what exactly Dumbledore was teaching Harry, and why he was doing so.

Suddenly, Harry changed his strategy. Instead of waiting to be asked questions, he went on the offensive. He turned his attention to Daphne and asked, "So, Daphne, have you enjoyed your summer so far?"

Daphne smiled demurely at him, trying to impress him. "Yes, I have enjoyed my summer. It has been very eventful."

Daphne was very pleased with herself. It seemed that she had already captured Harry's attention. Her plan was going perfectly. However, she frowned slightly when Harry began speaking with Astoria and her father instead, asking about Hogwarts and the family business. He made it seem like he was only trying to be polite by asking about her summer.

The rest of the dinner was filled with polite conversation. Daphne was unable to discover anything else about Harry's heritage or his apprenticeship with Dumbledore. When they had finally finished, the house elves came to clear their dishes. One of the house elves informed Jonathan that the dessert would not be finished for another 20 minutes.

Instead of becoming annoyed, Daphne's father merely smiled. "It seems we have some time before dessert will be ready," he said. "Daphne, why don't you give Lord Potter Black a tour of the manor while we are waiting."

"Of course, father," she said obediently. Inside, she was grinning. Her father was purposely giving her time alone with Harry. This would be the perfect opportunity to leave a lasting impression.

Harry and Daphne exited the dining room in direction of the entrance hall. Daphne guided him from room to room, attempting to demonstrate the wealth and prosperity of the Greengrass family.

As they walked throughout the house, Daphne tried to subtly get Harry's attention. She would allow her hand or arm to lightly touch his as they walked. When they stopped in a room, she would stand close to him, causing him to lightly brush up against her. Whenever he spoke, she would smile shyly at him, all in an attempt to get his attention.

However, to her growing frustration, he did not seem to notice her flirtatious behavior. He seemed completely focused on the house and the features she was pointing out to him. Daphne's frustration only grew and grew. If her plan was to succeed, she needed him to fall for her, but he seemed completely indifferent to her right now.

Finally, they arrived at Daphne's bedroom, the final stop on the tour. She walked inside, followed by Harry, who did not seem the least bit bothered by the fact that he was alone with a beautiful girl in her bedroom.

Daphne decided she needed to take a more direct approach in order to achieve the results she desired. As Harry gazed around the room, she stepped right in front of him with only a small space separating them.

"Harry," she said, purposely using his first name to get his attention. His eyes found hers immediately, and she found her heart racing once again. "Can we talk?" she asked simply, attempting to appear vulnerable.

He nodded. "Of course," he said softly.

Daphne tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked at the ground shyly before looking back at him. "How do you feel about all of this? About the contract?" she asked, trying to act uncertain.

Harry peered intensely into her eyes, and she felt butterflies in her stomach. That was not supposed to happen.

 _Get a grip,_ she thought to herself. _You are in control. Not him._

Harry took a moment before responding. "Honestly, I don't really know," he admitted. "I've been so busy, I haven't had time to even think about it."

Daphne nodded in understanding. Inside, however, she was frustrated. He was trying to avoid giving her a direct answer.

She bit her lip, feigning nervousness, before she spoke again. "I've been really worried," she said. "We don't know each other at all. I want this to work, but I am worried that it won't."

Harry nodded, still staring into her eyes. She had been faking her nervousness before, but now, as she looked into his green eyes, she actually felt nervous.

"It will be what we make of it," said Harry simply. "It all depends on us."

Daphne nodded, once again frustrated by his simple answer.

"It's just that I had plans for my life, and now everything has changed, and I don't know how you fit into those plans," she said. "Have you thought about what the future will be like for us?"

Harry smirked at her, causing her stomach to flip. "I have thought about it," he admitted, "but you will have to wait and see what I have planned."

Daphne frowned. That was not what she expected. She had been hoping that Harry would be humble and easy to influence, but it appeared that he had plans of his own for Daphne. That was not what she had expected.

Daphne took a step back, unable to contain her nervousness. "Dessert is probably ready," she said. "We should get back."

Harry nodded and followed her back to the dining room. Dessert was already served, and her family was waiting for them. As they ate, Daphne snuck glances at Harry, trying to figure out what he was thinking and what he had planned. He had thrown another wrench in her plans. Once, he caught her glancing at him. He gave her a sly smirk, causing her to blush slightly.

 _This is not good,_ she thought to herself. _I am blushing like a schoolgirl just because he smiled at me. He has all the power right now, and he knows it._

As they were finishing dessert, her father spoke up. "Lord Potter Black, we would enjoy it if you would visit us again soon. We would enjoy getting to know you better," he said.

Harry nodded. "Of course. My schedule is incredibly busy this summer, but I will speak with Albus to see if I can't find some time to spare," he said, purposely referring to Dumbledore by his first name in order to show how close they were. "Also, feel free to call me Harry when it is just us," he said.

Daphne's father smiled. "That sounds great, Harry."

They soon finished their dessert and the family headed towards the entrance hall to see Harry off.

"Thank you for inviting me into your beautiful home," Harry said as he stood in front of the floo. Just as he was about to leave, he stepped up to Daphne, gently took her hand, and kissed the back of it. As he held her hand, however, she felt cold metal touching her skin. She looked at Harry's hand and was shocked to see four gold rings on his hand, something she had not noticed before.

 _He must have been using a disillusionment charm_ , she reasoned.

Harry let go of her hand before she could see any details on the rings. He murmured "Goodnight, Daphne," before turning around and walking into the fireplace.

Daphne was too shocked by his actions and seeing his rings to respond. Before she knew it, he had thrown the floo powder down and shouted, "Hogwarts, Headmaster's Office!" In a swirl of flames, he was gone.

Daphne's parents noticed her shocked look. "Are you okay, Daphne?" he said, chuckling. "Have you fallen for him that quickly?" he joked.

Daphne shook her head. "He was wearing four rings! Didn't you see them?"

Jonathan's grin faded immediately. "Are you certain? Four rings?"

Daphne nodded. "I am sure. He must have been using a disillusionment charm and it wore off."

Daphne's mother stepped in front of her. "Did you see what was on the rings?" she asked.

"No, but they were all lordship rings. I am sure," Daphne answered.

Daphne's father began to pace nervously. "Merlin's beard, how is this possible?" he exclaimed.

"What other lordships could he have?" asked Daphne.

"I am willing to bet that he claimed the Rosier lordship as well, seeing as there are no other Rosiers alive," her father said. "The fourth lordship, however, is a mystery to me."

"If he truly has four lordships, he is much more powerful than we originally thought," Daphne's mother said. "He will take two votes away from the dark faction and will add four votes to the light faction. He just tipped the balance of power towards the light. Not only that, he has access to the Rosier fortune as well. He must be one of, if not the richest wizard in all of magical Britain."

Daphne nodded, trying to process it all. "Why did the disillusionment charm suddenly wear off?" she asked to no one in particular.

Daphne's father replied. "I doubt it was an accident. I am confident that he purposely cancelled the charm in order for you to get a glimpse at all four rings. He planned it all before hand," he concluded.

"Merlin, he just played us!" exclaimed Anastasia.

Daphne nodded, deep in thought. She quietly withdrew from the entrance hall and went to her bedroom. She closed the door and sat down on her bed. She drew her knees up to her chest, rested her chin on her knees, and thought about everything that had just transpired.

She had seriously underestimated Potter. Not only was he much more powerful than she had originally thought, he was much more cunning. From the way he responded to her questions, it appeared that he knew that she wanted answers from him. The way he smirked at her made it seem like he knew exactly what she was thinking…

Maybe he did know what she was thinking! Was it possible that he knew legilimency? Dumbledore was a master legilimencer, so it was plausible that he was teaching Potter. Daphne had let her occlumency shields down that night, not expecting anything from Potter. He might have been seeing her thoughts the entire night! If so, he knew exactly what she was planning. What a disaster.

She laid back on her bed in frustration. If Potter knew her plans, then she would have to change everything. More worrisome to her, however, was her own reaction to Potter that evening. Her heart had sped up whenever he was near, and she had blushed several times throughout the night. She needed to control herself much better. Too much was at stake, and she could not afford to let Potter win.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Daphne sat on her bed, staring out the window. It was the morning after her disastrous dinner with Potter, and she felt completely lost. For the first time in her life, she didn't know what she was going to do next.

Her entire life, she had always had a plan. She knew who she wanted to become and what she wanted to accomplish, and she was confident that she would succeed. Even when she had found out about the marriage contract with Potter, she was confident that she would be able to use it to her benefit. Now, however, she didn't know.

She bit her lip as she thought back to the previous night. Potter had thrown her for a complete loop. Not only did he look completely different physically, but even his personality seemed different. He was much more confident and cunning than he had ever been at Hogwarts – she suspected he had even used Legilimency on her the entire night. Even more, it appeared that he was the lord of four major houses! She feared that no matter what she did now, she would always be stuck in Potter's shadow.

She was torn from her thoughts by a knock at her bedroom door. Before she could tell whoever was at the door to come it, the door opened to reveal her best friend, Tracey Davis.

"Hey Daph! I'm back!" Tracey said cheerfully as she barged her way into the room. She stopped suddenly when she saw the look on Daphne's face. "What is wrong with you?" she asked.

Tracey had been on vacation with her family in France for the last two weeks. She had left immediately after getting home from Hogwarts and had only returned the previous night. Daphne had not yet informed her best friend of the marriage contract.

Daphne sighed and bit her lip nervously, not wanting to respond.

"Okay, you are seriously scaring me now," said Tracey as she took a seat next to Daphne on the bed. "What happened?"

Daphne took a deep breath before replying. "I'm betrothed due to an old marriage contract," she confessed.

"What?" exclaimed Tracey. It was obvious from Daphne's mood that this was no joke. "To whom? How long have you known?" she demanded.

"I found out two weeks ago," said Daphne.

Tracey nodded. "Who is it?" she repeated.

"Harry Potter Black," Daphne murmured so softly, it was almost a whisper.

"What!" Tracey exclaimed in a high-pitched voice. "You're engaged to Harry bloody Potter?"

Daphne nodded, avoiding Tracey's eyes.

"Wait, since when is his name Potter Black?" asked Tracey suspiciously.

"Since he became Lord Black two weeks ago," Daphne replied.

Tracey's eyes widened in shock. "No way. He is the lord of two houses now?" she asked.

Daphne shook her head. "Not two. Four."

"Stop it!" exclaimed Tracey. "You're just messing with me now."

"His mother wasn't a Muggleborn," said Daphne. "She was the daughter of Alphard Black and Violetta Rosier. That is how he became Lord Black and Lord Rosier."

"Wow," was all Tracey could say. "I heard he is Dumbledore's apprentice too. What is the fourth house he is lord of?" she asked.

Daphne shrugged. "I don't know."

Tracey gave her a hug and smiled. "Well, look on the bright side. Your future husband is already incredibly powerful and filthy rich to boot. With him supporting you, you'll be the most powerful and beautiful witch in Britain. He'll fall in love with you so fast," she said assuredly.

"I'm not so sure of that," said Daphne uncertainly.

Tracey frowned. She had never seen Daphne act like this in her entire life. "What else happened? What aren't you telling me?" she inquired.

Daphne sighed. "He came over for dinner last night," she admitted. Tracey raised her eyebrow, signaling Daphne to continue.

Daphne proceeded to relate the events of the previous night. She explained how different Harry looked and acted, how he had casually revealed how powerful he truly was but made it clear that he was still keeping secrets. Most importantly, she explained how she had tried to impress him but how he had seemed completely uninterested and immune to her flirtatious behavior. She told Tracey how she suspected Harry of using Legilimency on her and how he probably knew all of her plans.

"The worst part is that I couldn't seem to control myself around him," she concluded.

"What do you mean?" prodded Tracey.

Daphne hesitated. "I felt so nervous around him the entire night. And every time he smiled at me, I would blush," she admitted.

Tracey began laughing next to her. "You are falling for him already!" she exclaimed, echoing her father's words from the previous night.

"I am not!" denied Daphne. Inside, however, she was worried about that possibility. She had never reacted this way with any other guy before, and that terrified her.

"Stop lying to yourself!" chuckled Tracey. "He must have made quite the impression for you to be falling for him already."

"Stop it!" said Daphne angrily, shoving Tracey away from her.

That only caused Tracey to laugh even more. She had never seen Daphne show this much emotion. Usually, she was very guarded and kept her emotions in check.

 _Potter must have gotten really far under her skin,_ Tracey thought to herself.

"It's okay for you to like him," said Tracey after she stopped laughing. "You're going to be married to him, you know. In fact, it's a good thing you like him. It'll make your marriage that much easier!"

Daphne didn't reply. She just bit her lip again and stared out the window. After several, long moments of silence, she spoke up.

"What happens if he doesn't end up feeling the same way about me?" Daphne asked. "What if I have to live the rest of my life in his shadow? I don't want to be a trophy wife."

Tracey put her arm around Daphne. "This is Potter we're talking about," she said. "He is the most honorable Gryffindor to ever live. There is no way he would ever treat you like a trophy wife."

Daphne shook her head. "That was the old Potter," she said. "The Harry Potter that I saw last night was different. Plus, he likely knows how I was planning on manipulating him."

Tracey was silent for a moment before she replied. "You will have to change your strategy, then."

"What do you mean?" asked Daphne, confused.

"You tried to be cunning and manipulate him and that backfired spectacularly. Now, you need to try being honest and sincere," Tracey suggested. "Let him get to know the real you. There's no doubt that he will fall for you so fast."

Daphne shook her head. "I don't like it."

"There's nothing to lose!" exclaimed Tracey. "You said it yourself. He is already holding all of the cards and if you keep trying to manipulate him, it will probably only push him further away! Being honest and being yourself is the only real play you have here."

Daphne sighed in defeat. "What does that even mean, to be myself?"

Tracey gave her a small smile. "It means showing him who you are. Tell him about your plans and dreams. Maybe he will open up to you as well, but you need to take the first step."

"I'm not sure about this," said Daphne, still uncertain.

"It'll work, trust me," said Tracey. "I have an idea to get the whole thing started…"

* * *

Harry sat in the potions classroom, anxiously waiting as Snape evaluated his potion. He had just made the Draught of Living Death, a notoriously difficult potion that was taught during sixth year.

"As much as it pains me to admit it, Potter, this potion is outstanding," said Snape.

Harry smiled slightly. Over the past few weeks, Snape had slowly warmed up to him. Every day, his potion-making ability seemed to improve, as well as Snape's attitude towards Harry. It seemed that Snape's hatred for Harry had only been exacerbated by Harry's poor performance in his class.

"Thank you, sir," said Harry respectfully. His respectful tone surprised even himself. Only a few weeks ago, he had loathed Snape with every fiber of his being. Now, however, it was much easier to tolerate Snape. He would never like the man, but he understood how useful the man could be. For Harry, it was yet another example of how his personality had shifted since his absorption of the soul fragment at the Ministry.

"If you continue progressing at this rate, you will be able to take your NEWT by the end of the summer," Snape said. "And anything less than an O would be a disappointment. Your mother achieved an O on her Potions NEWT, and I know she would be disappointed if you didn't do the same."

Harry nodded, deep in thought. This was the first time that Snape had ever mentioned his mother's name. He had learned from Sirius that Snape and his mother had been friends in school, but Snape had never given any indication of that. This was the first time.

"Of course, sir," said Harry. "I won't let you or my mother down."

Snape stared at him, evaluating his sincerity. Finally, he nodded sharply. "Very well. You are dismissed for the day. Do not forget to complete the 12-inch essay by tomorrow."

Harry nodded, gathered his belongings, and left the classroom in direction of the Great Hall. As he walked, he thought about his dinner at Greengrass Manor the previous evening. It had gone perfectly. He could tell that the family was shocked by his new appearance, Daphne in particular.

He had been amused by Daphne's attempts to flirt with him. He had read her surface thoughts the entire night without being detected. He knew exactly what she was doing and why she was doing. For some reason, however, he was not angry that she was trying to use and manipulate him. He was doing the exact same thing to her, after all.

He smirked as he remembered how he had allowed Daphne to get a glimpse of his four lordship rings. When he had flooed away, her face had been one of extreme shock.

She was a beautiful girl, but he would need to be careful around her. She had proved to be ambitious and conniving. He needed to know who she truly was first, and that would take some time.

He arrived at the Great Hall and sat across the table from Dumbledore, who was already eating.

"Good afternoon, Harry," Dumbledore said as Harry sat down. "How were your classes this morning?"

"They went well," said Harry simply. "I came to a decision today. I have decided that I will take my NEWTs in Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Defense against the Dark Arts, Herbology, and History of Magic at the end of August, just before the new term begins. In addition, I believe I will be prepared to take my OWLs in Arithmancy and Ancient Runes by then."

Dumbledore nodded in approval. "Very good. You are progressing very quickly. Have you been doing additional studying for Herbology and History of Magic?" he asked, knowing that Harry was not taking lessons in those subjects currently.

Harry nodded. "I have been rereading all of my previous textbooks, as well as the textbooks for sixth and seventh years," he said. "I feel like I am prepared. It is much easier for me to absorb new information now."

Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Indeed, it is. I expect nothing less than Outstanding on each of your NEWTs," he said, echoing Snape's sentiments.

Harry nodded in agreement.

"I have some news for you," continued Dumbledore. "I was instructed to inform you that your charms and transfiguration lessons will be combined today. You are to meet Professors McGonagall and Flitwick in the charms classroom."

Harry nodded, curious about what they had planned for him. He quickly finished his lunch and hurried up to the charms classroom.

"Hello, Mr. Potter," said Flitwick as Harry entered the classroom. McGonagall stood next to Flitwick, wand in her hand.

"Hello, Professors," Harry said politely. "What will we be doing today?"

"Today, we will be dueling," said McGonagall simply. "Up to this point, you have dueled using charms and transfiguration separately. Today, we wish for you to use them in tandem. As before, you are not allowed to use any spells or curses. Only charms and transfigurations."

Harry nodded, stepping up to the dueling platform that had been set up. McGonagall stepped up as well, ready to face off against Harry.

"On the count of three, the duel will begin," said Flitwick. Harry got into his dueling stance – shoulder towards his opponent at a ninety-degree angle, wand foot slightly in front of the other foot. He gripped his wand tightly, holding it at about waist height.

"One, two, three!" exclaimed Flitwick.

Harry burst into action. "Avis!" he said softly. Immediately, a flock of birds burst out of Harry's wand like a cannon, heading in McGonagall's direction. Not waiting to see her reaction, he continued casting. He quietly said, "Aguamenti," causing a powerful jet of water to burst out of the tip of his wand. As the water began to fall around McGonagall, he yelled, "Glacius!" causing the water to turn to ice.

Suddenly, he saw dozens of knives flying towards him. McGonagall had transfigured the birds into knives and had redirected them at him. He quickly waved his wand and vanished them, only to see thousands of shards of ice flying at him. Harry quickly summoned a wall of fire around him to melt the ice before they could reach him. With a flick of his wand, he sent the wall of fire flying towards McGonagall.

Before she could deal with the fire, he cast a Disillusionment Charm on himself, causing him to fade into the background. In addition, he quietly whispered, "Fumos," as he created a smokescreen around himself. Hidden by the smoke and his Disillusionment Charm, he quietly moved to another section of the dueling platform.

He quietly conjured two large rocks, which he quickly transfigured into lions and sent running in McGonagall's direction. As soon as he did that, he cast the Carpe Retractum charm, which sent a rope in McGonagall's direction, which would bind her and incapacitate her. As soon as the ropes reached the spot where he knew McGonagall was, the smoke cleared, and he realized that the professor had disappeared.

Suddenly, he felt ropes wrap tightly around him, causing him to drop his wand, which was quickly summoned by McGonagall. He turned his head and saw her behind him.

"Very good, Mr. Potter," said McGonagall. "However, do be aware that when you cast a charm to hide your location, it can also hide your opponent's location."

Harry nodded, frustrated that he had been defeated so easily. McGonagall vanished the ropes and returned his wand. He quickly got to his feet and returned to his dueling stance. He was ready to go again. He hated losing and wanted to improve immediately.

"You did very well, Mr. Potter," said McGonagall, sensing Harry's frustration. "I daresay that you would be able to defeat any other Hogwarts student, as well as quite a few recent graduates. I, however, am not a typical Hogwarts student."

Harry nodded sharply but did not respond. He remained in his dueling stance, ready to continue.

Sensing Harry's stubbornness and determination, McGonagall prepared to duel again.

For the next few hours, Harry continued to duel. He switched between dueling Flitwick and McGonagall. He was defeated every single time, but in the last few duels, he came very close to defeating McGonagall. The professors could perceive his rapid improvement, even from just a few hours previous.

"Good work," said Flitwick as Harry gathered up his belongings and wiped the sweat from his face. "You are improving very quickly. Soon, you will be able to defeat us. When that happens, you will duel both of us simultaneously. We will have these combined lessons twice a week moving forward."

Harry nodded and left the classroom, headed for his lesson with Moody. When he entered the classroom, he was surprised to find Dumbledore there as well.

"About time you got here," grumbled Moody when Harry arrived.

"Hello to you too, Professor," said Harry sarcastically. Dumbledore merely chuckled at their antics.

"What are you doing here, Headmaster?" Harry asked Dumbledore.

"I am here to help you learn how to apparate," said Dumbledore. "I have temporarily disabled the anti-apparition wards in order for you to practice."

Harry grinned and set down his bag, eager to begin. Dumbledore had already set up two rings on opposite sides of the room.

"Apparition is an extremely useful skill," began Dumbledore. "Not only is it useful for travel purposes, but it is also extremely useful in duels. When apparating, it is important to keep in mind the three D's: determination, destination, and deliberation."

Dumbledore spent the next few minutes explaining the fundamentals of apparition to Harry. Finally, it was time for Harry to practice. Dumbledore directed Harry to stand in one of the rings and to apparate into the other ring.

"Remember what I taught you," said Dumbledore.

Harry nodded. He cleared his mind and imagined himself standing in the other ring. Nothing happened. Frustrated, he tried again. This time, he imagined the feeling of when he had side-along apparated with Dumbledore.

All of a sudden, he felt a great pressure from all sides, like he was being pushed through a tube. With a loud _crack!,_ he appeared in the other circle.

He stumbled, trying to get his bearings. He turned and looked at Dumbledore with a huge grin on his face.

"Well done, my boy," said Dumbledore proudly. "Now apparate back."

Harry nodded. He focused and after a few moments, disappeared and reappeared once more in the other circle.

"Very good," said Dumbledore. "However, there is room for improvement."

"What do you mean?" asked Harry.

"You are using too much magical energy," explained Dumbledore. "That is why you hear a loud crack when you appear. If you need to apparate stealthily or arrive without anyone knowing, you need to know exactly how much energy it will take."

Harry nodded and focused on apparating again. For the next hour, he worked on using less and less energy during his apparitions. By the end of the lesson, only a faint pop could be heard when he apparated.

"I expect you to keep practicing," said Dumbledore. "You need to get it to be completely silent."

"You will also be practicing dodging using apparition," said Moody. "If there are no anti-apparition wards, apparating can be a damn useful strategy in a duel."

Harry grimaced. He already had a headache after apparating so much. He wasn't looking forward to practicing again.

Harry and Dumbledore walked down to the Great Hall together for dinner.

"After dinner, I would like for you to accompany me on a visit to an old colleague, Horace Slughorn," said Dumbledore while they walked.

"Of course, sir. What is the purpose of the visit?" Harry asked.

"We will attempt to persuade him to take up his old post as potions professor," Dumbledore replied simply.

Harry was shocked. "Potions professor? What will happen to Snape?"

"Professor Snape," Dumbledore corrected. "He will be the new defense against the dark arts professor."

Harry's mouth gaped open in shock. Snape teaching defense against the dark arts? He didn't know what to think.

Dumbledore chuckled at Harry's reaction as they sat down for dinner. They were piling food on their plates when an owl flew in and landed in front of Harry.

Harry promptly untied the letter from the owl's legs and opened it up.

"It's from Daphne Greengrass," he said in response to Dumbledore's inquisitive stare. Harry unfolded the letter and began reading.

 _Dear Harry,_

 _Thank you again for coming to dinner last night. I enjoyed getting to know you a little bit. However, we still know next to nothing about each other, but I really would like to get to know you better. For that reason, I would like to invite you back to Greengrass Manor next Sunday to spend the afternoon with me and to have dinner with my family. Please let me know if that works for you. I'm looking forward to it._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Daphne Greengrass_

Harry put down the paper in surprise. That was not what he was expecting from Daphne, especially after what he had discovered last night. It was very casual, a stark contrast to the formality that he had seen last night. In addition, she seemed much sincerer in the letter than she had seemed the previous night.

 _That must be her new strategy,_ he thought to himself. _Faux sincerity._

Harry was still wary. He knew from his Legilimency probes that she was very ambitious but also manipulative. If she was trying to act casual and sincere, there was a reason for it.

He looked up to see Dumbledore staring at him with an amused look on his face.

"Ah, young love," Dumbledore said with a smile.

Harry snorted. "I don't know about that," he replied.

"What does Miss Greengrass want?" Dumbledore inquired.

"She wants me to spend the afternoon with her and have dinner with her family next Sunday."

"A most intriguing development," joked Dumbledore. "She must have been impressed with your intriguing choice of fashion."

Harry shook his head in annoyance. Dumbledore had a very dry sense of humor that could be very annoying sometimes.

"I am not eager to spend the entire afternoon with her," Harry said.

"It would be quite rude to decline her invitation," warned Dumbledore.

"I know," said Harry. "I think I will tell her that due to my training, I can only come an hour before dinner."

"That sounds acceptable," replied Dumbledore. "However, I do not believe that Miss Greengrass is as malicious and devious as you make her out to be. If you gave her a chance, I believe you would be pleasantly surprised."

Harry grunted and shook his head. "After last night, she has a long way to go to before I trust her."

"Just keep an open mind," Dumbledore suggested.

The pair finished the rest of their meal in silence. They stood up and prepared to leave.

"I will be apparating us to visit Mr. Slughorn," said Dumbledore, offering Harry his hand. Harry grabbed it and immediately felt the now-familiar sensation of apparition.

Moments later, he was standing on a dark street in a quiet, residential neighborhood. Dumbledore began walking down the street, forcing Harry to follow.

"Why do you need my help with this?" Harry asked as they walked.

Dumbledore smiled. "Horace has always enjoyed teaching talented and influential individuals," he explained. "Although he may resist initially, I believe that he will be unable to resist the temptation of being able to teach the Chosen One," he finished with a smirk.

He was interrupted as they arrived in front of one of the houses.

"Wand out, Harry," warned Dumbledore. As Harry looked at the house, he noticed the front door had been kicked in. He took out his wand and stealthily walked forward, ready for the first sign of action.

There were signs of a struggle all over the houses. Broken lamps, overturned chairs, smashed tables. Dumbledore illuminated his wand as they examined the house.

"Something feels… off, sir," said Harry.

"What is your opinion?" the headmaster asked.

"There are signs of a struggle, but I can't sense any dark magic in the air," Harry replied. "It's almost as if…"

He paused as he came to a weird, misshapen armchair. Suddenly, it clicked. Harry gave Dumbledore a look, signaling what he was about to do. With a wave of his wand, the armchair transformed into an older, portly man. Harry kept his wand aimed between the eyes of the man.

"Ah, Horace, thank you for the warm welcome!" said Dumbledore sarcastically. He signaled for Harry to put away his wand, which he did hesitantly.

"Dumbledore!" the man said in a shaking voice as he rose to his feet. "You surprised me!"

"You weren't waiting for someone else now, were you?" asked Dumbledore suspiciously with a knowing look.

"No! Of course not!" Slughorn exclaimed. "I mean, yes, perhaps. The Death Eaters have been trying to recruit me for a year now! Do you know what that's like? I am constantly on the move! I can't stay anywhere for more than a few days!"

Dumbledore merely nodded. "Do you mind if I use the loo?" Dumbledore asked suddenly.

"Yes, of course," said Slughorn irritably. "Down the hall and to the left." As Dumbledore walked to the loo, he called out to Harry.

"Would you mind fixing the place up, Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"I know why you're here, Albus. The answer is still no!" shouted Slughorn after Dumbledore's retreating figure.

Harry waved his wand and cast the _Reparo_ charm silently. All of the broken furniture and lamps began to knit themselves back together seamlessly.

"Silent casting? Impressive," said Slughorn. "You must be Harry Potter."

"Actually, sir, it's Harry Potter Black," Harry corrected him. "It's an honor to meet you."

Slughorn raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You know why Dumbledore brought you, don't you? He's using you to convince me to come back and teach at Hogwarts."

Harry hid a smile. Slughorn wasn't as clueless as he thought. "I can't blame him. I could really use your help to get my potions mastery," he said.

"Potions mastery?" exclaimed Slughorn. "Aren't you starting your sixth year in September?"

"Yes," confirmed Harry. "I am planning on taking my NEWTs before the term starts, so I can focus on getting my mastery."

Slughorn's eyes widened in shock. "Well, it seems you inherited your mother's skill for potions! She was an excellent brewer, your mother," he said.

"Yes, I imagine she inherited her skill in potions from my grandparents," said Harry mysteriously. "I have heard they were both excellent brewers as well."

If it was possible, it seemed that Slughorn's eyes opened even wider. "Whatever do you mean, my boy? Your mother was a Muggleborn!" he exclaimed.

"You must be misinformed," Harry said politely. "My mother was raised by Muggles, that is true. But her biological parents were Alphard Black and Violetta Rosier."

Slughorn looked like he was going to have a stroke. "Is that right?" he asked.

Just then, Dumbledore reentered the room. "Ah, I see you have met my young apprentice," he said, putting his hand on Harry's shoulder. "However, I see that I will be unable to change your mind about coming back to Hogwarts. We had best be on our way, then. Harry has a lot of training to complete tonight."

Harry nodded at Slughorn as they prepared to leave. "It was an honor to meet you, sir. I am sure we will cross paths in the future, after I have my mastery."

The pair turned and began to walk out of the house before they were stopped by Slughorn's voice.

"Alright, I'll do it!" shouted Slughorn after them. "But I want Professor Merrythought's old office. And I want a raise!"

Dumbledore smiled beside Harry. "Done!" said Dumbledore. "I will see you at Hogwarts before the term starts!"

He continued walking beside Harry.

"Well done," complimented Dumbledore.

"It was almost too easy," boasted Harry with a smirk.

"Why don't you apparate back to Hogwarts on your own?" suggested Dumbledore. "It will be good practice. Meet me in front of the gates of Hogwarts."

Harry grinned, eager to try. He focused his magic, spun on the spot, and disappeared.

He appeared at the front gates of Hogwarts, followed soon after by Dumbledore. With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore opened the gates and the pair began the walk to the castle.

"I have one more item of great importance to discuss with you tonight," said Dumbledore as they walked. Harry nodded and followed the headmaster up to his office.

"Up until now, I have focused on improving your magical and combat skills," said Dumbledore in a serious tone as they sat down in his office. "Those will be of the utmost importance when you face Tom for the final time. However, there are things that must be accomplished before you can face him."

Harry sat up straighter. From Dumbledore's tone, he could tell something very serious was happening.

"As you already know, when Voldemort tried to kill you, the Killing Curse rebounded back on him and blasted apart a part of his soul, which latched itself onto you. You became an accidental Horcrux," said Dumbledore seriously.

"What is a Horcrux?" asked Harry, almost dreading the answer.

"A Horcrux is one of the evilest, foulest magics in existence," answered the Headmaster. "A Horcrux is created when a wizard commits murder in cold blood. By doing this, he is able to split his soul and place part of his soul in a physical container. Thus, he can gain a measure of immortality. As long as that soul fragment survives, he cannot truly die. That Horcrux will tie him back to the physical realm."

Harry felt sick. "So, I was keeping Voldemort alive?" he asked.

"In a sense, yes," replied Dumbledore honestly. "However, you were not the only thing keeping him alive."

Dumbledore pulled out a black book from his drawer and placed it on top of the desk. Harry immediately recognized it as Riddle's diary that had possessed Ginny and opened the Chamber of Secrets.

Harry's eyes widened in shock. "The diary is a Horcrux?" he asked.

"It was a Horcrux," Dumbledore replied. "You destroyed the soul fragment when you stabbed it with the basilisk fang."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "So Voldemort had two Horcruxes? He split his soul twice?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "No," he said solemnly. "It is my belief that Voldemort made yet other Horcruxes. It is our job to find those Horcruxes and destroy them. Only then will you be able to truly kill Voldemort."

Harry sat back in his chair in shock. Killing Voldemort had already been an almost impossible task. It had become even more so now.

"How are we going to find them?" Harry asked. "They could be anywhere! And we don't even know how many there are!"

"That is true. We do not know how many there are," said Dumbledore. "However, there is someone who, I believe, does know."

Dumbledore smirked at Harry. "The new potions master."

"Slughorn?" Harry exclaimed. "How would Slughorn know?"

"Horace Slughorn was Tom Riddle's professor and head of house when he was at Hogwarts. I believe that Horace may have inadvertently given a young Tom Riddle information about Horcruxes that aided him in his quest. In the coming days, I will show you exactly what I am talking about. It will be up to you, however, to convince him to tell you what exactly he told Tom all those years ago."

Harry nodded, accepting the responsibility placed on him.

"As to your other question. I believe that I have discovered the locations of two other Horcruxes," admitted Dumbledore. "With your help in the coming weeks, I hope to find and destroy them."

Harry smiled, grateful at the trust Dumbledore was placing in him.

"As for the other Horcruxes, I can only guess. However, I will be showing you various memories from Tom's early life that will help us to understand him better. With this deeper understanding, I believe that we can find the other Horcruxes."

"I understand," Harry replied, slightly overwhelmed by all the information he had just learned.

Dumbledore gave him a pained smile. "This is, perhaps, the most compelling reason for which I accepted you as my apprentice – to accomplish this quest. I will be placing even more responsibility on your shoulders, for which I am sorry. However, I have faith that you will be able to handle it."

Harry looked back into Dumbledore's twinkling blue eyes. "I will not let you down, sir," he said with determination.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with unshed tears. "You never cease to amaze me, my boy," he said with a voice full of emotion.

"I could not agree more!" said a voice suddenly. Harry turned quickly to look at one of the paintings behind Dumbledore's desk. "You represent the Black family well!"

Harry chuckled. The painting was of Phineas Nigellus Black, his third-great-grandfather and former Lord Black.

"I am glad to have earned your approval," Harry said with a chuckle.

"Over the coming weeks, I will share all that I know with you concerning Voldemort and his Horcruxes," promised Dumbledore. "Now, however, I believe it is time for you to sleep. You have a long day of training in front of you."

Harry nodded. He got up and walked back to his dormitory. As he lay in bed, he pondered all that he had just learned. He felt overwhelmed by the sheer odds he faced, but he promised himself that he would win this fight.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for reading. I hope you are enjoying the development of Harry and Daphne's relationship so far. As you can tell, Harry is the one who has the upper hand so far, and it will take some time for him to learn to trust her. Daphne, however, will do her best to win him over.**

 **I have done my best with my characterization Dumbledore. He is attempting to make up for the mistakes he made in the past, which is why he is being more trusting and forthcoming with Harry. He does genuinely care for Harry, but also understands that he can't shield him from everything.**


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7_

"Good afternoon, Mr. Potter," said Professor McGonagall as Harry entered the transfiguration classroom.

"Good afternoon, Professor," Harry replied politely.

McGonagall studied her star pupil as he sat down. It had been a little over a month since the school year had ended and Harry had begun his apprenticeship with Dumbledore. In that month, she had seen extraordinary progress from Harry.

Over his first five years at Hogwarts, Harry had shown talent for transfiguration, but nothing compared to the prodigious abilities he was now demonstrating. In fact, McGonagall had been slightly disappointed with his performance in class. Harry was the son of James Potter, one of the most talented transfiguration students she had ever taught. In fact, James, along with Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, had managed to perfect the Animagus transformation in secret during their fifth year. The Animagus transformation was, perhaps, the pinnacle of Transfiguration achievement. Only a master could achieve the transformation, and James Potter had achieved it as a schoolboy.

When Harry came to Hogwarts, she had expected that same kind of talent, but she saw none of it. Instead, she saw a normal, sometimes lazy boy who often became caught up in crazy adventures. Granted, he sometimes showed glimpses of greatness, but that was a departure from his normative behavior.

Over the past month, however, he had completely changed. He had learned the transfigurations and conjurations for sixth and seventh years as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Not even James Potter could have done it with such ease. He had also developed a keen talent for dueling. Not only was he fast and accurate, he was creative. He would use transfigurations and charms in duels in ways that she had never before considered. The scariest part was how fast he improved. Every single day, he was markedly better than the day before. Sometimes, it seemed like he had been a master duelist in a past life and was just shaking off the rust.

In addition, McGonagall could see a shift in his personality. Before, Harry would have been content with mediocrity in his schoolwork; now, he would settle for nothing but the best. She had seen his ambition and was astounded by it.

She had thought long and hard over the past few days about what she could continue teaching Harry. He was rapidly approaching the point at which she could not teach him anything new; his future progress would come from practice and experience.

There was, however, one thing that she could still teach him: the Animagus transformation. She was confident that, given his recent strides in transfiguration, he would be able to master the transformation relatively quickly.

As he sat down at his desk at the front of the classroom, Professor McGonagall withdrew a potion from her drawer and placed it on top of the desk. Harry raised an eyebrow in curiosity but did not comment.

"Today we will be doing something a little different," explained McGonagall. "There is an aspect of transfiguration that you have yet to explore, one that I am certain will interest you immensely."

Harry immediately sat forward in his seat, intrigued by the possibilities.

"I believe that you have the capacity to master the Animagus transformation," she said, causing Harry to grin wildly. "Today, I wish for you to complete the first step, which is to discover your Animagus form by taking the Animagus revealing potion."

Harry nodded, slightly confused. "Professor, I think that I already know which form I have. My Patronus is a stag, just like my dad's Animagus. I am willing to bet that I will be the same."

McGonagall shook her head. "While it is true that Animagus forms and Patroni are based off of personal characteristics and qualities, they are not always the same for an individual."

Harry nodded in understanding.

"With regards to your Patronus, I have some questions myself that we will discuss after you have taken the Animagus potion. The potion is relatively simple. Take it and you will have a vision of yourself in your Animagus form. Once you know your animal, you can begin researching and beginning the transformation."

McGonagall handed him the potion, which he eyed with distaste before swallowing it. He immediately leaned back against the chair, slouched a bit, and closed his eyes as if he were sleeping.

McGonagall watched him closely as he entered his trance, making sure he didn't suffer any adverse side effects. After about 15 minutes, he began to stir. Moments later, his eyes shot open. He sat up and grinned.

"My form is a black panther!" Harry exclaimed.

McGonagall was surprised. Very rarely was an Animagus form so large or so deadly.

"That is fantastic news, Mr. Potter," she replied. "Now you can begin researching the biology of a black panther in preparation for your transformation."

Harry nodded, eager to begin as soon as possible.

"I have another question for you," continued McGonagall. "Have you cast the Patronus Charm since the end of the school year?"

Harry shook his head. "Why do you ask?" he inquired.

"Just a curiosity. If you don't mind, would you mind casting it right now?" she asked.

Harry nodded and got to his feet. "Expecto Patronum!" he exclaimed as a bright white light began to emanate from his wand. The light coalesced into a solid shape. However, it was not the stag that Harry was accustomed to. Rather, it was a large panther, his Animagus form.

McGonagall could perceive the look of shock on Harry's face.

"How did you know that it would be different?" Harry asked, his eyes still focused on his panther Patronus, which was bounding around the room.

"I didn't know for certain," admitted McGonagall. "However, I have noticed very significant changes in your personality over the past month. It stood to reason that these changes might have affected your Patronus as well."

Harry nodded, although he did not look too pleased with the explanation.

"Are you upset?" prodded McGonagall.

Harry shook his head. "No. It's just that my stag Patronus was one of the only things that really connected me to my dad."

McGonagall smiled sadly. "I understand your feeling of loss. However, I believe this is a sign that you are becoming your own man. Your father would be quite proud of that."

She continued to observe Harry as he processed all the new information.

"Let's call it a day," she suggested. "Why don't you go down to the library for the rest of the time and start researching your Animagus form?"

Harry smiled softly in agreeance.

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said as he left for the library.

* * *

Harry sighed as he walked up to Dumbledore's office after dinner. It had been a long couple of days. He had been doing heavy research into his new Animagus form. However, he had been shocked by the change in his Patronus. He knew he had changed, but he had not realized the changes were that drastic.

After knocking, Harry walked into Dumbledore's study.

"How are you, my boy?" Dumbledore asked as he continued to compose a letter at his desk.

"Busy," Harry replied simply.

"Professor McGonagall has informed me that you have begun the initial stages of your Animagus transformation. A black panther. I believe congratulations are in order," Dumbledore said.

"Thank you, sir," Harry replied.

"I also heard your Patronus changed forms," continued Dumbledore, still not looking up from the letter he was writing. "Would you like to talk about it?"

Harry shook his head in annoyance. "Did you use Legilimency on me?" he demanded.

Dumbledore chuckled. "I don't need to use Legilimency to know when something is bothering you, Harry," he explained. "You haven't answered my question. Would you like to talk about it?"

"No," Harry said simply. He wasn't in the mood to discuss how Voldemort's soul fragment was changing him. Dumbledore didn't need to know everything.

"Very well," said Dumbledore, putting down his quill and looking at Harry. "As I promised, tonight we will be reviewing several memories from Tom Riddle's life. These memories will help us to understand him better and perhaps give us information into his Horcruxes."

He stood and motioned for Harry to follow him over to the Pensieve.

"We will be viewing a series of memories consecutively," Dumbledore explained. "I had originally intended to show you these memories over a longer period of time, but I believe that you are ready for all of them now. The first memory is before Tom's birth, and his related to his biological family, the Gaunts. The rest of the memories show Tom in various times in his life."

Harry nodded as Dumbledore poured the silvery memories into the Pensieve. Together, they entered the memories. Harry watched memories of Morfin, Marvolo, and Merope Gaunt, long before Tom's birth. He watched Dumbledore's memory of giving Tom his Hogwarts letter. He watched Tom's confrontation with his uncle, Morfin, leading to murder of Tom Riddle Senior and Morfin's subsequent incarceration in Azkaban. He watched Professor Slughorn's tampered memory of a young Tom Riddle asking about Horcruxes. He also watched Tom interact with an elder Hepzibah Smith, who showed him a locket of Slytherin and Hufflepuff's cup. Finally, he watched another of Dumbledore's memories, of Tom Riddle applying for the position of defense against the dark arts professor.

Finally, the memories ended, and Harry found himself back in Dumbledore's office. He and Dumbledore sat back down.

"So, what did you learn?" Dumbledore asked Harry, who was still thinking about what he just saw.

"Riddle has always had a desire to be different, to be special. He despised being normal, just as he despised the fact that his father was a Muggle," Harry replied thoughtfully.

"Indeed," replied Dumbledore. "I believe that is why he changed his name. Tom is a much too common name for him. What else did you discover?"

"It seems that Tom has an obsession with ancient magical artifacts, especially artifacts relating to the Hogwarts founders. There were Slytherin's ring and locket, and Hufflepuff's cup."

Dumbledore smiled. "Precisely. That is a key observation that I believe will play an important role going forward. What did you think about Professor Slughorn's memory?"

"It was obviously tampered with," replied Harry. "I assume that he tampered with it out of guilt?"

Dumbledore nodded. "It will be your responsibility to convince him to give you the true memory. I believe it contains vital information for our search."

Harry nodded in understanding. "Do you have any ideas what his other Horcruxes could be?" he asked.

Dumbledore smiled. "I believe that we got a look at three of them."

Harry's eyes widened in shock. "The locket, the ring, and the cup?" he asked.

Dumbledore smiled in return. "Very good," he said.

"Do you have any clue where they might be?" Harry asked.

"I am confident that I have located the ring," Dumbledore revealed. "I have a good guess at where the locket might be as well. The cup, however, is a mystery still."

Harry grinned. "That is fantastic!" he exclaimed. "You know where two of them are!"

"Indeed," said Dumbledore. "However, we still do not know how many Horcruxes there are in total. That is why we need the memory from Professor Slughorn."

Harry nodded in understanding. Suddenly, he jumped to his feet as he remembered something that he had read the other day. "Wait a minute! I think I know where the cup is!" he exclaimed.

Dumbledore looked at him in shock.

"Gringotts sent me a detailed summary of the contents of Bellatrix's personal vault that I transferred to the main Black vault. I remember seeing an entry for a golden cup covered with the Hufflepuff coat of arms!"

Dumbledore looked extremely pleased. "Marvelous, my boy. We shall have to visit Gringotts soon to discover if it truly is a Horcrux."

Harry agreed. "When will we go after the locket and the ring?"

"Soon," replied Dumbledore. "I wish to do so before school begins."

Dumbledore soon changed the topic of conversation. "I wish to speak with you regarding the current political situation," Dumbledore explained.

"Is Fudge still holding on?" Harry inquired.

"He has a couple of weeks left, at the most," explained Dumbledore. "The public reaction after the news of Voldemort's return has left him in very poor standing, indeed. I believe that the Wizengamot will hold a vote of no confidence in two weeks. I believe that will be the perfect moment for you to make your debut on the Wizengamot."

Harry was surprised. He had been so busy with training over the past weeks that he had forgotten that he held four seats on the Wizengamot.

"Who do you think will replace Fudge?" Harry asked.

"There are several individuals subtly campaigning for the position," Dumbledore explained. "The frontrunner is Rufus Scrimgeour, head of the Auror office. I am certain that Voldemort is working behind the scenes, attempting to put in one of his own men. It is for that reason that you need to make your debut before the vote for the new Minister of Magic."

"Who do you prefer?" asked Harry.

"At this point, Scrimgeour seems the best option. He is not perfect, but he seems intent on ramping up the war effort, which is a welcome change. In addition, I believe that he will try to involve you in the Ministry's efforts, which will be the perfect opportunity for you."

"You want me to work with the Ministry?" asked Harry, confused.

Dumbledore shook his head. "I wouldn't necessarily describe it as working with the Ministry. I would call it an opportunity to influence the Ministry."

At Harry's questioning look, he continued.

"Voldemort has numerous people working for him inside the Ministry. We need to act as the counterbalance to his influence. If you were to work with Scrimgeour, you could be that counterbalance."

"How likely is it that Scrimgeour gets elected?" Harry asked.

"If you were to vote for him, it is extremely likely," answered Dumbledore. "You would be adding four votes for him, not to mention your influence on the Greengrasses and the other members of the grey faction."

Harry sat, processing what Dumbledore had just told him. "With regards to the Greengrasses," Harry said, "is there anything specific that I should do to win them over? I have another dinner with them later this week."

Dumbledore chuckled. "No, you are already doing just fine," he replied. "Continue to be your charming self. Jonathan Greengrass has always been a reasonable man. I believe that you will gain his support soon."

* * *

 _A few days later…_

Daphne stood anxiously in front of the fireplace, waiting for Harry to arrive. They would be spending an hour together before dinner, and she was nervous. Originally, she had wanted to spend the whole afternoon with Harry, but he had declined her request, giving the excuse that he was extremely busy with training. Instead, he had offered to come an hour before dinner. She was wearing another summer dress, although not as revealing as the one she had worn the last time Harry had come for dinner.

Suddenly, a fire burst into existence in the fireplace. The flames dissipated to reveal Harry, who calmly took a step forward. Instead of a full suit, he was wearing dress shoes, slacks, and a light blue dress shirt with the top button left unbuttoned. Daphne had to admit that the shirt fit him well. It seemed to accentuate his biceps and shoulders.

Harry stepped forward, gently grasped Daphne's hand, and kissed the back of it.

"Good evening, Miss Greengrass. Thank you for inviting me back to your home," he said with his trademark smirk.

Daphne gave him a nervous smile but was already frustrated. He was still being his confident, formal self, exactly what she didn't want.

"Thank you for coming, Harry," she replied, purposely using his first name. "We have an hour before dinner begins. Would you like to take a walk around the grounds with me?" she asked.

Harry smiled gently. "I would enjoy that, my lady." He motioned for Daphne to lead the way.

She led Harry out of the manor and onto the grounds, where she began her tour of the grounds. While they walked, she tried to make small talk with him.

"So how is your apprenticeship with Dumbledore going?" she asked.

Harry shrugged. "It's going well. I've been very busy – Albus is very demanding."

Daphne nodded. He was still giving her non-answers.

"Do you train with him every day?" she asked.

"Most days," Harry replied. "Most of my time is spent training with other instructors, however."

Daphne looked at him, trying to figure out who else he could be training with. His face gave nothing away, however.

"Can I ask you a question?" she asked him.

"I thought that's what you have been doing this whole time," replied Harry sarcastically.

Daphne ignored his sarcastic remark. "What do you want to do after you graduate from Hogwarts?"

Harry gave another noncommittal shrug. "I'm not sure. Haven't thought much about it, to be honest."

Daphne shook her head in exasperation. It was a lie and they both knew it. "I highly doubt that," she replied in frustration. Harry just gave her another smirk.

"What about you? What do you want to do after Hogwarts?" he asked her.

She smirked right back at him. "I honestly don't know either."

Harry gave her a confused smile. "Really? I would have thought you would want to be a potions mistress, maybe even get into politics one day," he said with another smirk.

Daphne suddenly stopped walking and glared at him. He was messing with her – he knew that because he had used Legilimency on her the other night.

"I knew it!" she exclaimed in anger.

"Did I do something wrong?" asked Harry, feigning innocence.

"I knew you used Legilimency on me when you came for dinner last time!" Daphne declared.

Harry gave her a confused look. "Legilimency? What's that?" he asked innocently.

Daphne gave him a death glare, which he returned with a smile.

"You are an arsehole, Harry Potter," Daphne said angrily. Her temper was starting to get the best of her.

Harry's grin faded as he looked dangerously at her. "Those are some harsh words, Miss Greengrass. You might want to take them back," he said ominously.

Daphne didn't back down. Rather, she took another step closer to him. "You are an arsehole, Harry Potter. I am trying to make an effort to get to know you, and you just throw it back in my face!" she half shouted at him.

Daphne was tired of trying with him. She had tried to be honest and sincere like Tracey had suggested, but Harry wasn't even giving her the time of day. She was done with him.

Harry just shook his head at her. "Get over yourself, Daphne," he said icily.

That set Daphne over the edge. "I hate you, Potter," she said with venom in her voice. "You come into my house, invade my mind, act all high and mighty, and then tell me to get over myself. I hate you!" she shouted at him. She was so angry, tears were starting to form in her eyes. "I am done with you trying to use me!"

Harry snorted in derision. "And you weren't doing the same thing to me? Wasn't your plan to use me and then throw me away like a piece of trash when you were done? Stop being such a hypocrite, Daphne."

His green eyes were drilling holes into her. His words stung her more than she wanted to admit. He was right, and she knew it. She balled her fists to try and control her emotions, but to no avail. Tears started to leak from her eyes, which she wiped away furiously. Not wanting Harry to see her cry, she turned away from him and stormed off.

Before she could take a step, she felt Harry grab her wrist firmly, preventing her from leaving.

"Let go of me!" she yelled at him, trying to shake her arm free of his grasp.

"We're not done here," said Harry, refusing to let her go.

"I hate you! Let go of me!" she exclaimed again. This time, Harry walked directly in front of her, blocking her escape.

"Not until you let me talk," said Harry, still holding on to her wrist.

Daphne glared at him again. Strangely, he did not look angry anymore. If anything, he looked regretful. It was only then that Daphne realized how close together they were standing – mere inches separated them.

She didn't reply, so Harry took that as a yes.

"The last time I came here, you spent the whole time trying to manipulate me. All part of your little plan to use me for my fame," he began.

"You only know that because you invaded my mind!" Daphne exclaimed viciously.

"You're the one that didn't put up your Occlumency shields," Harry retorted.

"So that makes it right?" demanded Daphne, tears still leaking from her eyes. She angrily wiped the tears away again.

Harry sighed. "No, it doesn't. What I did was wrong, but that doesn't excuse your actions, either," he replied. "You have been trying to manipulate me, and when I call you out on it, you say that I'm the villain and that you're the only one that's trying in our relationship."

Daphne looked down at the ground in shame, away from Harry's accusing eyes. He did have a point. She waited for Harry to continue, but he didn't. He kept staring at her, waiting for a response.

Finally, after a long moment, she answered. "I admit that, in the beginning, I was trying to manipulate you. And I was wrong. But I'm not trying to use you anymore. I am honestly trying to be honest and get to know you!" she defended.

"And you expect me to believe that?" asked Harry. "After what I already know about you?"

"It's the truth!" Daphne exclaimed.

Harry sighed before responding. "If you really want me to trust you, it's going to take a lot more than just being honest, especially with the foot we got off on," said Harry. "It's going to take time. Don't expect me to tell you all of my secrets after just a couple dinners," he suggested.

Daphne nodded. She understood where he was coming from.

"I get it," Daphne replied. "And for what it's worth, I'm sorry. I was being a manipulative bitch. I'll try to make it up to you."

Harry smiled gently at her. Suddenly, without warning, he brought his hand to her face and softly wiped away some of her tear with his thumb. "I'm sorry for making you cry. That wasn't my intention," he admitted. "Your father is going to kill me for making you cry."

Daphne was completely caught off guard by his sudden gentleness. She wasn't complaining, however. She just wished it hadn't taken a fight to get him to let down his walls a little bit.

As Harry withdrew his hand from her face, Daphne brought her hand up and caught Harry's hand. Even though they were disillusioned, Daphne could still feel the rings he was wearing.

"Can I at least know what other lordships you have?" Daphne asked.

Harry chuckled, as he knew his plan had worked the other night. He waved his wand over his hand, cancelling the charm. He held his hand out to Daphne, who took it in her hands and examined the rings he was wearing.

"Potter, Black, Rosier, and… what is this last one?" Daphne asked.

"Peverell," Harry replied softly. "It's a part of the Potter line."

Daphne nodded, trying to take in the information. "So, you're Lord Potter, Lord Black, Lord Rosier, and Lord Peverell."

"Yes," confirmed Harry simply.

Daphne shook her head in disbelief, causing Harry to smile in amusement.

"We need to get back. Dinner is almost ready," Daphne said. "Can you put a Glamour Charm on me? I don't want everyone seeing my red, puffy eyes."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, still feeling guilty for making her cry.

Daphne nodded softly. With her approval, Harry took out his wand and cast a nonverbal Glamour Charm to hide her puffy, red eyes and streaked makeup. Daphne was impressed by the ease with which he completed the silent casting.

"There. Good as new," said Harry as he finished.

Daphne smiled in thanks. "Let's head back," she suggested.

Harry nodded and motioned for her to lead the way. They walked the rest of the way back in silence, their shoulders occasionally brushing up against each other.

When they arrived back at the manor, they were met by the rest of Daphne's family, who Harry greeted politely. They sat down for dinner, with Harry once again helping Daphne into her chair before taking the seat across from her.

As they ate, Daphne's mother spoke up. "So, Harry, which NEWT classes will you be taking this year? I imagine that you will have several classes with Daphne."

Harry nodded. "I will be taking Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, and I think Daphne will be in both of those classes," he replied politely.

Daphne's head shot up in surprise. "You're taking Runes and Arithmancy? Since when? You weren't in the OWL class!" she questioned.

Harry smiled at her. "I have been studying Runes and Arithmancy a lot this summer. I am planning on taking the OWLs for them at the end of August," he clarified.

"Very impressive," replied Daphne's mother. "What other NEWT classes will you be taking?"

"Just Runes and Arithmancy," replied Harry. "I am actually taking my NEWTs in Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, and History of Magic at the end of August as well."

Daphne's mouth hung open in shock. "What?" she asked dumbly.

Beside her, Astoria was surprised as well. "How is that possible?" Astoria asked.

"I've done a lot of studying this summer," said Harry modestly.

"Even if you studied all day every day, you couldn't learn all the NEWT material in a single summer!" exclaimed Daphne.

Harry smirked at her. "I guess I'm just a fast learner."

Daphne was suspicious. He was obviously hiding something from her, but she now knew better than to push him.

Harry turned his head and gave her a knowing look. Daphne knew exactly what he was saying with that look. He had just revealed something big about himself, and he wanted her to know that he was making an effort in their relationship, even if it was something small. Daphne gave him a small smile, trying to look thankful.

"If you are only taking two classes, what are you going to do with all your free time?" asked Astoria.

"I will actually be working on getting my mastery in Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and History of Magic," explained Harry.

Harry's latest bombshell shocked everyone once again. Daphne had never heard of anyone getting more than two masteries. Five was unheard of. Harry must be incredibly skilled in order for him to achieve that.

The rest of the dinner was filled with small talk. They were still trying to process the bombshells that Harry had dropped earlier.

Finally, dinner was over, and Harry prepared to leave.

"Thank you for the lovely dinner, Lord and Lady Greengrass," Harry said politely.

"You are welcome anytime, Harry," said Daphne's mother warmly.

Daphne shook her head. It appeared that Harry was already winning over her mother.

Daphne walked Harry to the fireplace alone. She had no idea what to say. Before she could say anything, Harry stepped up to her.

"I'm sorry again for being an arsehole and making you cry," Harry apologized. "It won't happen again."

"It's okay," Daphne replied, very conscious of how close Harry was. "We both know you'll make me cry again at some point," she joked.

Harry chuckled, but then became serious as he spoke. "Thank you for having me over. I really enjoyed it," he said.

With that, he leaned in and gently kissed her on the cheek. Before she could reply, he stepped away and vanished in the fireplace.

Daphne remained there for several long moments, blushing and wondering what had just occurred.

* * *

The next morning, Daphne had just finished getting ready when Tracey arrived via floo. She immediately raced up the stairs and barged into Daphne's bedroom as if she were a member of the family.

"So, how did it go?" Tracey demanded as she burst into the room.

Daphne looked disapprovingly at her excitable friend.

"Fine," she replied, not giving any details. She knew this would drive Tracey crazy, which was exactly why she was doing it.

"Daph, come on! You have to tell me! Please?" begged Tracey.

Finally, Daphne relented. "Okay. It was interesting. That's all I'll say."

"Interesting how?" pestered Tracey.

Daphne took a deep breath before replying. "Well, we may have gotten into a big fight and I may have called him an arsehole and he may have made me cry."

"What!" shouted Tracey. "How did this happen?"

Daphne proceeded to describe her fight with Harry and its eventual resolution.

"At the very end, though," began Daphne, "he put his hand to my cheek, wiped away my tear, and said he was sorry for making me cry."

Tracey looked like she was going to die. "This is the best story ever! You two go from screaming in each other's faces to him wiping away your tears. That is so romantic!"

Daphne shook her head in exasperation. However, she was still replaying that moment in her head.

"There's more," she said teasingly.

"Please tell me!" begged Tracey.

"When he was leaving, he apologized again for making me cry, and then he kissed me on the cheek," said Daphne with a blush.

Tracey dramatically put the back of her hand to her forehead and fell back onto the bed, pretending to faint.

"You are so lucky, Daph," exclaimed Tracey.

"I am happy with how last night ended," Daphne replied. "But I still have a long way to go with him."

"But he is at least giving you a chance now!" Tracey pointed out.

Daphne nodded and smiled. Last night had started off horribly, but she was happy with the progress that she made with Harry.

"What do I do now?" asked Daphne.

"It's up to him to make a move now," said Tracey. "Wait for him to contact you."

Daphne nodded nervously. She just hoped he wouldn't make her wait too long.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed the Harry/Daphne scene towards the end. I really enjoyed writing that scene. In particular, I tried to show the opposing aspects of Harry's evolving personality. At times he can be cold and ruthless, while at other times he can be kind and forgiving.**

 **The Horcrux hunt has officially begun! Horcruxes will not be the focus of the story, so Dumbledore and Harry will take care of them much quicker than in canon. The focus going forward, besides Harry and Daphne's relationship, will be the political and physical battles between Harry and Dumbledore and Voldemort.**


End file.
